Mandolin Cafe Event/Gig Calendar

Hands On! Fiddle and Mandolin Workshop with Charlie Walden - Lansing, MI
Hands On! Fiddle and Mandolin Workshop with Charlie Walden
A rare chance to learn from the nation's premier Missouri-style fiddler! Share

Saturday , September 20, 2014
01:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Location: Elderly Instruments
workshop ($30)

His recordings and books have been consistently popular with our customers, but we've never had a chance to host the consummate Missouri-style fiddler Charlie Walden - until now!

Charlie says: "The Midwestern fiddling tradition is a rich and varied 'quilt' of styles and influences. An important patch on our quilt is the contribution of various Canadian fiddlers whose tunes have 'leaked' across the border from up north.

At this workshop I'll share my 'Show-Me State' approach to playing some of these great Canadian fiddle tunes that have become a mainstay of the Midwestern repertoire. We'll focus particularly on tunes that come from Cyril Stinnett (Missouri), Dwight Lamb (Iowa) and the legendary Bob Walters (Nebraska).

Teaching will be by ear and by imitation, but I'll provide the 'dots' and mandolin TAB by email after the workshop and suggest some other of my on-line resources.

You'll need to bring your instrument, an electronic tuner (if needed) and a recording device of your choice. You are welcome to record audio during the entire workshop.

Attendees will receive free access to download a copy of my 'Project' containing renditions of my playing 175+ tunes in MP3 format. My numerous other CDs and books with be on hand for sale at the workshop as well.

The level of the workshop will be beginner-intermediate to intermediate."

Charlie Walden has been called the major Missouri fiddle stylist of his generation. He learned his craft directly from the great Missouri fiddlers of the previous generation and cut his teeth at fiddle contests and square dances all over the state. His playing emphasizes clean noting, is highly melodic and uses a direct and driving approach to bowing to generate rhythm for dancing.

Charlie has performed at major folk festivals in the US and Australia and has taught at numerous fiddle camps in the North America. With his wife Patt Plunkett on piano (as the duo Patt & Possum), he has played for innumerable square and contra dances around the country.

Charlie and Patt will be playing for a contradance hosted by the Looking Glass Music & Arts Association that same evening at 8 pm - details here.