Maine Fall Fiddle Fest
The Waldo proudly presented 2022's Maine Fall Fiddle Fest with Joyce Andersen, Fiddle Trio "Boardman, Muise & Gawler" and opening act Pineland Fiddlers. Hosted by Smokey McKeen.
The Maine fall Fiddle Fest kicked off on Friday, October 21st with a Traditional Jam session at The Waldo! Saturday offered a full schedule of instructional workshops, a youth fiddlers showcase and a not to be missed concert to celebrate the joy and music of Maine's Fiddler community. We look forward to 2023! See below for the recent 2022 schedule of events.
FRIDAY:
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Traditional Jam Session (open to the public)
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7-9pm at The Waldo
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$5 for all audience members (musicians free)
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Concessions available
SATURDAY:
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Workshops (all workshops are 50 minutes, participant limit of 20, $10 per ticket)
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12pm - Guitar Workshop w/ Ben Foss @ BroadBay
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1pm - Cello Workshop w/ Elsie Gawler @ Waldo
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In this workshop we'll dive into the rich realm of traditional/fiddle music on the cello. We'll learn a cello-friendly tune by ear and then discuss why and how cello can be such a unique and wonderful instrument in the fiddling world. We'll touch on melody playing, harmonies, chords, and rhythm. All levels and ages and welcome!
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1pm - Fiddle Workshop w/ Greg Boardman, @ BroadBay
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At this workshop we will find a tune we can all dive into and find the lyrical, rhythmic and harmonic possibilities therein together.
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Youth Fiddler’s Showcase, Hosted by PIneland Fiddlers
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2-4pm at Broad Bay Church
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Donation at the Door
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Will culminate with an open jam session with all musicians
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Fiddle Fest Concert at The Waldo
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Doors 6pm
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Pineland Fiddlers 7pm
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B/M/G 7:45pm
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Joyce Anderson 8:30pm
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Thank you to everyone who made the 2022 Maine Fall Fiddle Fest a resounding success and wonderful community gathering! We welcomed a wonderful group of musicians to The Waldo stage! Joyce Andersen joined us. She is a veteran musician who has enjoyed a varied 25 year career as side-gal, session player, singer-songwriter, and band leader. Andersen's music has brought her from the coffeehouses and taverns of her native New England to national & international stages as a solo artist and with husband, Harvey Reid, Childsplay, Eric Andersen, Richard Thompson. She even made it to Carnegie Hall with a ultra high-energy celtic-bluegrass band and to the Conan O'Brien show with Marshall Crenshaw. In 2011, her fifth solo album ”SWERVE!" marked her innovative new "violin troubadour" sound which reflects her strengths as an improviser, and her new found interest in using technology (loops, effects etc.) to harness new sonic landscapes and launch into extended psychedelic jams even during solo shows.
Greg Boardman, Steve Muise and Elsie Gawler graced the stage! The locally based folk music string trio performed new and traditional fiddle tunes and songs. Greg and Elsie held workshops on Saturday!
Pineland Fiddlers played for us in a Youth Showcase and in the final concert. They are an aspiring group of young fiddlers, ages 8-18, directed by Ellen Gawler. They have travelled to Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, Scotland, Ireland, and Quebec, playing for contradances, fairs and making CDs. Pineland Fiddler's very own Owen Kennedy is a seventeen-year-old fiddler whose love of traditional music and enthusiasm for performing has captivated audiences from San Diego to the Shetland Islands and all over New England. He was recently named the 2022 US National Scottish Fiddle Champion.
We had an incredible time at the 2022 Maine Fall Fiddle Fest and look forward to our third year in 2023!