Well, the title just about sums it up! We are continuing to run our online option but are also adding some elements of in-person workshops for those who are happy to attend. The Online option has in-depth Video Tutorials, teaching technique and tunes which you can watch at your own convenience and replay as many times as you wish, combined with weekly Zoom calls. The calls take place on a Wednesday evening for five weeks and incoporate Fiddle Practice, a Technical Nugget, and the teaching of a couple of tunes (one new to NEFS, and another which was previously taught in a block pre-COVID!) It is great to join the call, knowing everyone else is doing the same from their own houses (or indeed holiday homes or caravans!) and get a sense of community. All the calls are recorded though, so if you aren’t available for a week, or possibly for any of them live, you can watch them back and take part at any time).

Our in-person options include two Thursday evenings, where we are focusing on the joy of playing together, and helping us to prepare to play in other music sessions. Popular session tunes will be taught, along with general skills for picking up tunes by ear, and the second half of each evening will be a session, using the common repertoire we have learnt in these workshops, and at previous times.

We are also holding a full day of workshops on one Saturday in each block. These are based on the same in-depth technique and tune workshops which used to take place on a Wednesday evening at Westfield School. However, in order to allow those who would need to travel further the chance to attend, we are holding them as a complete day. Melissa and Stewart will both teach tunes during the day, aiming to make them accessible to all, with ideas to stretch the more able players, and we will finish the day with a session together.

For more details about the current or upcoming block, please visit the Classes page, and places can be booked in the Shop.