CITY FOLK FIDDLERS

City Folk Fiddlers is a Los Angeles based youth violin ensemble aimed at building community through traditional and non-traditional folk music, song, and dance - the first ensemble of its kind. 

What is folk music?

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Folk music is the foundation for all of our music and dance - it is our roots. American folk music has a few different styles that you might recognize - Swing music, Jazz, Bluegrass, Country, Oldtime, Honky Tonk, Blues - all of which led to the development of pop, r&b, and rock n' roll. When you listen to the themes in Lord of the Rings, you're hearing Celtic music - folk music from the Irish and Scottish Isles. Every student I've had has recognized, but not known how to describe, when they hear music that's reminiscent of Asian cultures in film - again, all based on folk traditions.

Why is this important?

Folk music is the foundation of all music and dance. Stylistic differences mark where we've come from and highlight geographical nuance. It is where we learn to improvise, where we learn to compose, and where we learn to take our instrument around the world and be able to play with anyone, anywhere, without being bound to a sheet of paper. For a student, understanding the basics, the roots provides the foundation that allows them to thrive through even the most difficult of classical repertoire with understanding, musicality, and creativity. Suzuki knew this, and that's why the majority of his selections in books 1 and 2 are folk songs of the past. 

Past the idea of student success, this music is also built on community. It is music meant to be played with each other around a campfire, at dancehalls, in your living room - not meant to be listened to while sitting silently staring at a stage for an hour. It is meant to move your soul and provide a glimpse into our ancestry while also exposing an alive and spirited part of yourself. It'll even make you fall in love if you listen closely. 

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Fall 2024 Rehearsals

Rehearsals will begin in August, with our first performance being in late September/Early October (tbd). I will have rehearsal locations setup to meet the need of involved students.

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If your student is interested in learning the skills necessary to play with a band, learning showmanship, learning to create their own music, learning about their music's history all while providing a service to the greater Los Angeles Community - Click the button below. 

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