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DONNA HEBERT
GREAT GROOVE BANDS
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Chanterelle: Franco-American Heritage Group with Donna Hébert, Josée Vachon, Liza Constable |
Groovemama: with Donna Hébert, Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Stuart Kenney, Max Cohen - Great Groove Band workshops at Old Songs & Philly Folk Fests |
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Welcome to our second monthly fiddling newsletter!
This is only the second edition of Fiddling Demystified's new monthly newsletter and we're right down to the French tunes I love best! Here's a lesson for "Isidore's Reel," scored for fiddle, viola and cello. I learned this tune in the 1970s from Franco-American fiddler Louis Beaudoin, whose rhythms have captured our hearts and bows for many years! Enjoy!
- Donna Hébert, fiddler & teacher
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4-07 newsletter
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Louis Beaudoin, 1976 - Ann Meuer photo Louis Beaudoin feature |
arranged for teachers, fiddlers, string players
This month we present fiddle, viola and cello settings of a fully-styled transcription from Donna's collection. Isidore's Reel was learned from the late Louis Beaudoin, Franco-American fiddler and Philo recording artist (Louis Beaudoin PH2000, La famille Beaudoin PH2022) |
Isidore's Reel in the key of G major is from the repertoire of Franco-American fiddler Louis Beaudoin from Burlington VT, who may have learned it from Canadian fiddler Isidore Soucy. Well-known to Franco-American immigrant families, Soucy's radio and television show, "La Soirée Canadienne," leaked over the border in to northern New England. The rhythm and bowing lesson here is on driving the bow to create syncopation. This tune is also a "l'air tordu" - we'd say "crooked tune " in English. It adds extra beats to several bars in the B part. Tuning is standard GDAE low to high. The audio files include a MIDI of the Print Music transcription and an exerpt from a Chanterelle CD track "Hommage à Louis Beaudoin." Look for the re-release of Louis Beaudoin's two Philo recordings soon!
Next month we present a tune from the repertoire of Prince Edward island Acadian fiddler and Barachois alumna Louise Arsenaut! Louise, sister Hèlène and the young fiddlers from PEI, "Les girls," will be teaching this tune to the Great Groove Band at Old Songs Festival.
In July, Jane Rothfield will teach a lesson for novice fiddlers. Donna Hébert will teach a tune for the Great Groove Band at Philadelphia Folk Festival for August, and in September, Renata Bratt teaches a fiddle tune and lesson for cellists.
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The Beaudoin Project - documenting, preserving and presenting the Franco-American heritage music of Vermont's Beaudoin family |
Nina Lacourse Beaudoin & Carmen Bombardier, Louis Beaudoin's daughters. Bill Spence photo.
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The Vermont Folklife Center has received a Grammy Preservation Grant to convert the Beaudoin musical archives to digital form. Family members and friends have donated many hours on cassettes and reel to reel tapes. The Center's archivist, Andy Kolovos, will digitize all these performances and any others we turn up in National Folk Festival vaults or elsewhere. The Beaudoin Project performs this summer with family members Nina Lacourse Beaudoin, Carmen Bombardier, Glenn Bombardier as well as fiddlers Donna Hébert, George Wilson, guitarist Liza Constable and pianist Selma Kaplan. Look for them at the Lowell Folk Festival July 28-29, and the Champlain Valley Festival in VT August 4-5. This month's Tune of the month is from from Louis Beaudoin!
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| Nina Lacourse Beaudoin, Julie Beaudoin, Carmen Bombardier, Lillian and Wilfred Beaudoin sing the Franco-American classic hymn "J'irai la voir un jou," at the Champlain Valley Festival Beaudoin Project concert, August 6, 2006. |
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Donna Hébert, Josée Vachon, Liza Constable, Alan Bradbury. K. Downey photo
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Singer Josée Vachon has successfully completed her treatment for breast cancer (hooray!) and has resumed her solo and group performing schedule. Josée and the band return to the Blackstone River Theater in RI on May 4, with another concert at the Fitchburg MA Public Library on Sunday, May 6. Chanterelle is also featured at Mystic Seaport's Sea Music Festival June 9-10.
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FIDDLE CALENDAR
Fiddling around with Artists' Roster members Donna Hébert, Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Stuart Kenney, Max Cohen and cellist Renata Bratt at concerts, festivals, residencies and summer camps. |
| 5/4 Cumberland RI - 8 pm Blackstone River Theater |
CHANTERELLE in concert: Donna Hébert, Josée Vachon, Liza Constable and Alan Bradbury |
| 5/4-6 Dallas TX - Contradance weekend |
Stuart Kenney with Latter Day Lizards (Bill Tomczak, Peter Barnes) |
| 5/6 Fitchburg MA - Fitchburg Public Library |
CHANTERELLE in concert: Donna Hébert, Josée Vachon, Liza Constable |
| 5/6 Albany NY - contradance |
Burhmaster Barn Contra Dance www.danceflurry.org with Jane’s Gang |
| 5/10 Niskayuna NY - Jane Rothfield Fiddle Studio |
Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling Demystified for String Players: workshop, private lessons. Contact Jane Rothfield to register. |
5/12 Greenfield MA - TopHill Contradance Guiding Star Grange
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Stuart Kenney, Sarah Blair, Mary Kay Brass, Marko Packard |
| 5/18-20 Lowell MA - Banjo Camp North |
Jane Rothfield teaches beginning banjo at Banjo Camp North, Lowell, Mass www.mugwumps.com/bcn.html |
| 5/19-21 - Prescott AZ Contradance weekend |
Stuart Kenney & Latter Day Lizards |
| 5/26 Greenfield MA - TopHill Contradance Guiding Star Grange |
Extravadance - Stuart Kenney, Clew Bay, Latter Day Lizards |
| 6/1 Concord MA - contradance |
Stuart Kenney w/ Airdance |
| 6/9 Greenfield MA - contradance Guiding Star Grange |
TopHill Music Contradance |
| 6/9 Amherst MA - contradance |
Munson Library Dance with Jane’s Gang |
| 6/9-10 Mystic CT - Mystic Seaport, Sea Music Festival |
CHANTERELLE in concert: Donna Hébert, Josée Vachon, Liza Constable and Alan Bradbury |
| 6/11-23 Vail CO - Colorado Suzuki Institute |
Renata Bratt: Instructor in jazz and fiddling for cellists |
6/15-17 Asheville NC Dance Soirée
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Stuart Kenney w/Burning Gods |
6/16 Poughkeepsie NY - contradance
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George Wilson with pianist Selma Kaplan |
| 6/16 Lenox MA - contradance |
Jane Rothfield with Bill Mathiessen and Liz Stell www.lenoxcontradance.org |
| 6/21 Concord MA contradance |
Stuart Kenney, Mary Kay Brass, Lissa Schneckenberger |
| 6/22-24 Altamont NY Old Songs Festival |
Groovemama (Donna Hébert, Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Stuart Kenney, Max Cohen) coaches Old Songs Festival Great Groove Band |
| 6/23-7/1 Nevada City CA summer camp |
Renata Bratt at Alasdair Fraser's Fiddle Camp |
| 7/7 Grafton NY Bicentennial |
George Wilson with Whippersnappers - contradance |
7/7-14 Mendocino CA Bay Area CDSS camp
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Stuart Kenney w/ Airdance |
| 7/9-13 Voorheesville NY - summer camp |
Great Groove Band Summer Day Camp coached by Groovemama members Donna Hébert, Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Max Cohen - register Old Songs Inc. |
| 7/13-16 Southern Tour - Jane Rothfield |
Jane Rothfield on tour with Barb Kirchner and Susan Burke (The Sensations) down south! Dates TBD |
| 7/15-20 Greenville SC - SC Suzuki Institute |
Renata Bratt: Instructor in jazz & fiddling for cellists at Furman University |
7/22-28 Ashokan NY Fiddle & Dance Camp
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Stuart Kenney, bass/banjo - Northern Week |
| 7/28-9 Lowell MA - Lowell Folk Festival |
The Beaudoin Project performs - Nina Beaudoin, Carmen & Glenn Bombardier, George Wilson, Donna Hébert & others |
7/28-9 Hillsdale NY Falconridge Folk Festival
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Stuart Kenney w/Tidal Wave and The Sevens |
| 7/30-8/3 San Diego CA |
Renata Bratt:Instructor in jazz & fiddling for cellists at Strings by the Sea |
| 8/4-5 N. Ferrisburg VT - Champlain Valley Festival |
The Beaudoin Project performs - Nina Beaudoin, Carmen & Glenn Bombardier, George Wilson, Donna Hébert & others |
| 8/6-10 Greenfield MA - Guiding Star Grange |
Fiddling Demystified CampGeorge Wilson, Donna Hébert teach Fiddling Demystified for String Players |
| 8/10 NYC - Contradance |
Jane Rothfield with Barb Kirchner & The Sensations www.cdny.org |
8/11 Greenfield MA Guiding Star Grange
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Stuart Kenney - TopHill contradance |
| 8/16-19 Schwenksville PA Philadelphia Folk Festival |
Groovemama coaches Great Groove Band at Philly Folk Festival |
| 8/24-9/1 Boulder Creek CA Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddling School |
Renata Bratt: Instructor in cello grooves and fiddle tunes for cellists |
8/25 Greenfield MA Guiding Star Grange |
Stuart Kenney - TopHill contradance |
9/8 Greenfield MA Guiding Star Grange |
Stuart Kenney - TopHill contradance |
| 9/10 Amherst MA Fiddle/Improv Class begins |
Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling Demystified Fiddle/Improv class through Mon. Dec. 10 |
| 9/12 Amherst MA Novice Fiddle Class begins |
Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling Demystified Novice Class through Weds. Dec. 12 |
9/21 Greenfield MA Guiding Star Grange |
Stuart Kenney - Ralph Sweet's All-Stars |
9/22 Greenfield MA Guiding Star Grange |
Stuart Kenney - TopHill contradance |
| 9/23 Amherst MA Fiddling Workshop |
Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling with a French Accent - French tunes from Canada and New England. |
| 9/28-30 Lake George NY Adirondack Dance weekend |
Stuart Kenney and friends |
Coming in June . . .
Next month look for a tune from the repertoire of Prince Edward island Acadian fiddler and Barachois alumna Louise Arsenaut! Louise, sister Hèlène and their bevy of young fiddlers from PEI, "Les Girls," will be teaching a tune to the Great Groove Band at Old Songs Festival. June's tune is set for fiddle, viola, cello, flute and clarinet, with easy half-note settings as well as fully-styled ones. This is the download site for Louise's tune for the Great Groove Band's at Old Songs Festival.
Summer update with summer camp space available, additional summer concert/teaching dates. In July, Kathi Bangert will preview new releases from roster members, starting with Stuart Kenney's solo banjo CD Undertoe: Walking Down Angell Road with Karen Tweed and Marko Packard. |
CONTACT US: info@fiddlingdemystified.com
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© 2007 Donna Hébert, fiddlingdemystified.com | Designer: Donna Hébert.
Amherst Bulletin, Susan Wilson, Ann Meuer, Pam Gonyer, Kevin Downey, Bill Spence, Roger Mock photos. Violin Bach/Blue artwork © Daniele Todaro: www.todaro.com. Used with permission.
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Do you have questions about fiddle techniques? Stumped by a fiddle problem?
Ask your fiddling technique questions here!
We'll do our best to answer them in future newsletters.
We also update performance and teaching dates with our Artists' Roster members, who will offer future lessons here. In September, cellist Renata Bratt teaches "fiddle for cello". Free tune lessons will be available online for several months. Come back every month to check out which new tune is up!
 Kathi Bangert, fiddler, publicist and project manager for Fiddling Demystified
Multi-talented Kathi Bangert joins us after recently retiring from a 34- year career in public service as the Communications Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Northeast Region. As editor of the monthly newsletter, Kathi will combine her love of fiddle music with her extensive experience in communications and community outreach to keep you informed about Fiddling Demystified workshops, performances and resources. Contact Kathi.
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String wizard Darol Anger in his foreword to A Practical Guide for String Players:
"Donna gets it all right. I suspect that the general level of fiddle knowledge and playing will take a major uptick soon after [Fiddling Demystified] is published, just as other great music books such as Earl Scruggs’ original banjo book, O’Neill‘s great Irish fiddling reference and the infamous jazz Real Book influenced the course of musicians’ lives and work."
 A Practical Guide for String Players
Table of Contents & Lesson List Sample lesson: Swallowtail Jig
ORDER FORM pdf
70 pages, 31 Celtic and North American tunes with chords, bowings, style lessons, 20-page left-right hand guide to fiddle techniques, two 65-minute lesson CDs
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