2026 Block 1 Saturday

2026 Block 1 – Saturday Workshop

This full-day fiddle workshop on Saturday 7th February with Stewart Hardy and Grace Smith will contain four different teaching sessions containing in-depth, high-quality fiddle tuition. There will be three mixed-ability workshops and the chance to join in with a tutor-guided session.

Follow Up Materials

Scottish du p’tit chat – Notation (pdf)

Materials

These are the resources for the Saturday Workshop for you to have a listen to the 30 Years Jig and print or save the notation for both tunes.

30 Years Jig (Roger Tallroth) – Notation (pdf)

Audio (mp3)

30 Years Jig – zip file

Scottish du p’tit chat – Notation (png)

Session

The session element of the day will include tunes from our Live Teaching repertoire. If you have previous versions printed, you may only need the end pages from each, and you can choose the bowed or non-bowed version – you don’t need to have both. The Tune Sets document has the bowed versions of the tunes that we play together on the same page.

Latest NEFS Live Tunes updates: December 2025 – up to and including tunes from 2025 Blocks 6 Live Teaching. The most recent Live Tune Sets document is April 2024.

Index of NEFS Live Tunes and Sets

Some Live Tune Harmonies – just for fun, if you want to try them!

For full notation and audio files of all previous Live Tunes, and Zoom call recordings of the Live Teaching calls, please see the web page:

Session Tunes we will play

If you are new to our session material, here is a list of a few tunes/sets that we will definitely play, so this will be a good place to start if you’d like to look at a couple in advance. You’ll find all the tunes in the Live Tunes documents (above), except Bethany’s Waltz, which is our new Live Tune:

  • Bethany’s Waltz (separate – new live tune)
  • John Walsh Polka (Live Tunes p. 21)
  • De Montford (Live Tunes p. 23)
  • Tobin’s Favourite (Live Tunes p. 20)
  • Repeal the Poll Tax (Live Tunes p. 14)

Details

Saturday 7th February
10.00 am – 5.00 pm
Wylam Methodist Church, Chapel Lane, Wylam NE41 8AA

Please arrive from 9.45 am for a 10.00 am start.

  • 10:00 – 11:15 : Workshop 1
  • 11:15 – 11:45 : Morning break
  • 11:45 – 13:00 : Workshop 2
  • 13:00 – 14:00 : Lunch
  • 14:00 – 15:15 : Workshop 3
  • 15:15 – 15:45 : Afternoon break
  • 15:45 – 17:00 : Session

You will need to bring all of your own equipment, including a music stand if you wish to use one.

Lunch is not included, so please bring a packed lunch, or there is a tea shop, a pub and a Spar a couple of minutes walk away. There will be a one hour break for lunch.

Tea and coffee will be provided during the morning and afternoon breaks (please advise us of any dietary requirements).

Travel

There is a small car park at the Methodist Church, or please park with consideration in the surrounding residential streets. Wylam Station is well connected by train (about 30 mins from Newcastle Central Station or 20 mins from Hexham Station) and is 10-15 mins walk away, or catch the X84 bus from Eldon Square (35 mins via West Road, or 52 mins from Hexham). If you would like a lift from the station, please ask and we will ask around.

COVID-Secure Guidelines

We will run the workshop with care and consideration for all. If you feel at all unwell, we ask that you take a lateral flow test before travelling, and do not attend if you get a positive result or think your illness might be contagious. Please continue to wash or sanitise your hands regularly and thoroughly, maintain a safe distance and bring an extra layer of clothing in case ventilation leaves the room slightly chilly.

By attending an in-person event organised by NEFS, you agree to follow any COVID-secure Workshop Guidelines in place, and any further reasonable requests made by the venue, the Tutors or Directors to keep the group safe and all attendees feeling as comfortable as possible.