Dancing

Enthusiasm and warmth filled the space at our 'Welcome Back' dance!  We spent lots of time dancing, a little bit of time eating, and also got a chance to interact with some of the dance instruments up close.  Lots of fiddle students held the guitar, cello or bass for the first time, and we all got to check out Dave's drumming box and dance to that beat. 


Thanks to Christine Stewart and Jennifer Spofford for taking these photos!


 

'Welcome Back' dance to ring in year three

Join the RI Fiddle Project as we start our third year out right: 
it's a Community Dance 
at Woodlawn CDC (210 West Ave, Pawtucket) 
at 2:30 PM on Sunday, October 2nd.  
The full band will include Fiddlers-in-Residence Michelle and Rachel, along with special guests Mike Fischman, Alan Bradbury, and Dave Davignon.  (that's fiddle, guitar, bass, and drums!)
Hope to see you there!

A Harmonica-Filled Registration

Special thanks to Ned Boyer for ensuring our 2011 RI Fiddle Project registration day was harmonica-filled!  Every student (and some siblings and friends) got to go home with a new harmonica, new inspiration, and some handy instructions on how to get started exploring this new instrument.   It was a really nice treat on the first day back! 


(photo from http://listsoplenty.com/pix/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/harmonica-squirrel.jpg)

Today at L'il Rhody Rib Fest

Lots of good fiddling at the L'il Rhody Rib Fest today at Slater Mill.  Michelle performs with Magnolia Cajun Band from 1-2PM, and RI Fiddle Project will be at the "Fiddling Zone" from 2:15-3:15PM, where you can hold and try a fiddle.  All this is part of the giant Pawtucket Arts Festival happening throughout September.  More details are here.

Grant Support for RIFP: Parts 2 & 3

We are pleased to share that RI Fiddle Project will have the support of the Sparkplug Foundation and the Carter Family Charitable Trust in our 2011-2012 year. 

The Sparkplug Foundation will be "sparking" support for the administrative work of the program for the first time.  The foundation supports start-up organizations and new projects of established groups in the areas of music, education and community organizing.

The Carter Family Charitable Trust, in its focus on cultural and educational needs for children, will be supporting the work of Fiddler-in-Residence at the RI Fiddle Project.  We are very grateful for the support!

Fiddle and Neighborhood happenings in August

1.   Everyone's talking about the Fiddle n' Folk Fest on Friday, August 13th! 
We aren't able to represent RIFP there this year, but hopefully it's a great success and it'll all happen again soon! It's in Haines Park in Barrington from 3-7PM.

2.  The Nonviolence Awareness Block Party at Payne Park (right across the street from Woodlawn CDC!) is Sunday, August 28th from 2-8PM.  It's the place to be that day, with entertainment and great community resources.  We had a table last year there and hope to be a part of the festivities again in the future. 

3.  And finally, I've been asked to spread the word about Rustic Roots camp, just over the border in CT.  Workshops by fabulous Rhode Island (and other) musicians, in a very rustic setting. 

Grant Support for RIFP: Part 1

It's been too long!  But rest assured: lots of thinking, planning, fundraising and music-playing is going on to get ready for the fall at the RI Fiddle Project.  Here is the first part in a series reporting on some of the support the project has recently received:

Woodlawn CDC has been named the recipient of a $3000 project grant in education to support the work of the RI Fiddle Project from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General Assembly and a grant from the National Endowment for the Art.  This is the 3rd time the RI Fiddle Project has benefited from the support of RISCA and we are so grateful for RISCA's commitment to long-term education programs in the arts.