As we come to the end of our first block of Virtual NEFS we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us. It has been a huge transition for participants and tutors alike as we’ve moved to printing your own worksheets, downloading the audio files and immersing yourselves in countless hours of video tutorials.

Obviously we have missed the personal connection of our weekly classes, the shared effort, the feedback the tutors get and respond to in the face to face classes, our coffee and biscuits breaks, and the chance to heckle in person! But there is an upside to all this…

We have been delighted to welcome new participants who wouldn’t normally be able to get to Newcastle on a Wednesday evening, either due to other commitments, or because they live too far away. This block we have had people join from as far afield as Leeds, Orkney and South Australia!

There is also the chance to be taught the tunes at a pace that suits you, without any fear that you will be holding up the class. Sections of videos can be repeated as often as you wish, giving plenty of time to learn the tune by ear, really get into the groove of the bowing, or concentrate on your cuts and flicks! The videos are timestamped so you can easily repeat a section, and YouTube has a handy playback speed setting, so even if the steady playthrough is a little fast, you can slow it even more with that.

Our Fiddle Practice calls on Zoom have been a lot of fun and it has been great to see people enjoying their fiddle practice together. It’s an excellent way to push yourself and try new things as no-one else can hear how it’s sounding – it’s just you playing in duet with Stewart as he leads the exercises. There has been time for questions on the call, and a new Chat Room means we can keep in touch, ask more questions and share news of fiddle concerts and videos.

We are now taking bookings for our next block of Virtual NEFS, which will run from Weds 10th June to 8th July. Book now using the new online booking form, or get in touch with questions via email or the contact form. We look forward to welcoming you to our NEFS online community.