Yoga Fiddling Experience

Nearly 30 people set up yoga mats Saturday night and experienced a beautiful class complete with the mellow sounds of 4 xylophones and 2 fiddles!  We played almost continually for the full hour, moving from one instrument combination to the next and one improvisation to the next...from what we heard, it was a new and positive experience for all participants.  Afterwards, attendees sat on their mats on the floor while we played a brief fiddling concert.  Kate Hawley, who led the yoga class, described our collaboration beautifully, emphasizing the intention of strengthening community that both Shri Studio and the RI Fiddle Project share. 
*photos coming soon -- next week I hope!*

What else has been happening...students have been dancing and learning new tunes in preparation for our June 7th fiddling celebration.  We're all getting psyched about a visit to the program by Jay Ungar and Molly Mason on May 15th.  And as for me (Rachel), I played a thrilling contra dance in Concord, MA, last night!

Join us for a "Yoga | Fiddle Project" event this Saturday

This exciting experiment is 2 days away!
6-7pm live music with your beginner/gentle yoga class.
7-8pm concert with Michelle and Rachel
(followed by snacks!)  
@Shri Studio, 21 Broad St, Pawtucket, RI
Here's more info:
Event on facebook
Event on Shri Studio's website

Blogging again: our performance at Magnolia's Cajun Dance

It's been a little while since the last blog entry, but we're back with the intention of a once-a-week blogging schedule! Here are some photos from Pawtucket's German Hall, where RI Fiddle Project students danced and performed two fiddle tunes on Saturday night, April 2nd.  It was a night that was filled with more smiling and laughing by students than I had ever seen before at one of our events!

Students started by participating, along with all the adults who were there, in a basic Cajun dance lesson taught by Michelle.  Then we got our fiddles and performed "Quo Faire" and "Hop, Skip & Jump", accompanied by Martin on the electric guitar.  We got a great response, and then, everyone started dancing again (students included)! 





Later on in the evening, two of our students were invited to join in with the band on the triangle!  They each did a stellar job and got an instant fan club cheering them on!

More from the Carolina Chocolate Drops concert

The performers signing posters at our visit

Students and parents spending time with the band

In the audience

Photos by Pam Murray

Our visit with the Carolina Chocolate Drops!

Carolina Chocolate Drops performing - the view from where we were

 Last Thursday night, Bryant University invited RI Fiddle Project students and Fiddle Lab students from Community MusicWorks to come see a performance of the grammy-award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops.  The university didn't stop there...they set up a pre-concert Q&A session for our students with "The Drops", a walk back-stage, and reserved seats right up front!  Many thanks to the gracious performers for answering our questions and to Tracie, Carol and the whole Public Relations office at Bryant.  

Lilyanna, Ashley & Maria with "The Drops"! Photo: Pamela Murray

Here were some of our students' favorite parts of the night:

• I liked when we met them - they were funny.
• When they played Snowden's Jig
• The kazoo -- I want to learn to do that!
• I especially liked when Rhiannon was singing Irish [mouth music] and Adam was beat-boxing.

Mardi Gras masks, fiddling, dance & cupcakes

Mardi Gras at RI Fiddle Project was a small but spirited celebration, complete with handmade masks, sparkly decorations, and cupcakes with bright purple, green & gold frosting.

 Michelle's Magnolia band members Martin Grosswendt, Alan Bradbury performed for and with Fiddle Project students.  Then we danced some two-steps and waltzes, along with some improvisatory 'freeze dance', too!  

 

On April 2nd, we'll visit and perform at one of Magnolia's dances.  

And tonight, it's the trip we've all been waiting for: we're taking a bus to Bryant University to hear the Carolina Chocolate Drops!

what if Culture Stops?

What if fiddling, community dance, sharing tunes, performance,  jamming, improvisation, and musical traditions STOPPED?

What is "Culture Stops"? (see much more at this link to the site!)

On Thursday, March 10th, 2011, Culture Stops! will ask you to imagine a world where writers put down their pens and artists put down their paints. Where architects stop designing our cities and poets, dancers and sculptors stop teaching our children. Where our national landmarks fall into decay. Where debate is no longer fostered in our universities, or on our radio dials. Where our symphony halls fall silent and our libraries go dark. Where our collective history is left unmade and unwritten.

'artsmarts': why cutting arts funding is not a good idea (article)