Instructors 2008
Capital District/Russell Sage College
Donna Hebert- http://www.dhebert.com/
Donna Hébert is adjunct fiddle instructor at Amherst College and has taught at Wesleyan University, The Hartt School, Central CT State University, ASTA and Suzuki camps, and Mark O’Connor’s 2006 San Diego Strings Conference. The author of the pioneering “Fiddling Demystified for String Players” and a concert and dance fiddler, Donna also directs The Great Groove Band of young musicians every summer at both the Old Songs Festival in Altamont NY, where the program is in its 8th year, and since 2006 at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. She performs with Old-Time string band Groovemama, Franco-American heritage group Chanterelle, and co-directs The Beaudoin Project, documenting, preserving and presenting the Franco-American music of Vermont’s Louis Beaudoin and his family.
Max Cohen- http://www.tagyerit.com/maxcohen.htm
An accomplished veteran of the New England folk scene, Max Cohen was a finalist in the 2001 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition and contributed guitar accompaniment to Dar Williams’ CD, The Honesty Room. Guitar Player Magazine raves “His relaxed but spirited execution holds true, even at virtuoso speed.” With the Great Groove Band at camp, Max teaches participants how to “get up offa that thing,” helping them to find and play the rhythms in each tune. Teaching lead and backup guitar styles, flatpick and fingerstyle, DADGAD and other tunings as well as standard concert tuning, Max also coaches each performing ensemble in arranging skills.
Saratoga/Skidmore College Flurry Youth Institute
A California native, Laura Risk began playing Scottish fiddle music as a teenager. Her love of traditional fiddling has led her into a rich journey of performing and teaching the beautiful and diverse repertoires of Scotland, Cape Breton and, most recently, Quebec, where she now lives. Her playing is extremely expressive and versatile, ranging from elegant music composed for 18th-century Scottish drawing rooms to driving strathspeys and reels suitable for a Cape Breton dance floor.
Laura Risk- http://www.laurarisk.com/
Abby's deep involvement with the music of Scotland began with and was nurtured by Jean Redpath. It was with Jean that Abby first visited Scotland in 1978. The warmth of the people and the melancholy beauty of the Scottish landscape moved her. Jean, Abby and Tom Anderson, the legendary teacher and champion of Shetland fiddle music, performed a concert at Blair Castle together that Abby recalls as one of the most inspiring musical experiences of her career. Since then, Abby has performed both in Scotland and in the U.S. with many prominent Scottish musicians including Aly Bain, Mairi Campbell, and Alasdair Fraser.
Abby Newton- http://www.abbynewton.com/index.html
Both Flurry Youth Institutes
George Wilson is a virtuoso fiddler, guitarist, banjo player and singer whose tune expertise comes from the fiddling traditions of New England, Quebec and Cape Breton, as well as from Scotland, Ireland and Shetland. George’s dynamic fiddling is extremely popular with contra dancers and concertgoers. He plays in a variety of bands including the Whippersnappers. George will draw from his Bowing 747 workshop teaching bowing techniques for French Canadian and Cape Breton tunes.
http://www.oldsongs.org/GeorgeWilson.html
Peter Davis is Mr. Versatile, and an expert at all of the instruments he plays including clarinet, alto sax, 5-string & tenor banjo, piano, guitar, mandolin and whistle, Peter boasts an intuitive approach to all manner of traditional folk, blues, vintage pop and jazz forms. He currently plays with at least seven bands and will be working with George on tune styles and improvisation at the workshop.
Quickstep featuring John Kirk - fiddle & mandolin, Trish Miller- banjo & clogging and Ed Lowman- bass, fiddle and guitar performs traditional fiddle tunes and folksongs and delights audiences with Trish’s Appalachian style clog dancing. John & Trish are a married couple from the foothills of the Adirondacks and have extensive experience teaching in schools around the U.S. They work together full time, playing music and singing in concerts, festivals, schools, and both call dances. Quickstep has the drive of an old-time stringband, the depth of moving ballads and show-stopping clog dances to boot! The trio will focus on the roots of fiddle music and may even add a song and dance to the afternoon’s performance! http://www.johnandtrish.com/
Please return the registration form as soon as possible to Maura McNamara at Lake Avenue Elementary School. If you have any additional questions, please contact: Maura McNamara, Orchestra Director, Lake Ave. Elementary School, 126 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, School Phone- 584-3678 Email: m_mcnamara@saratogaschools.org or flurryyouthinstitute@gmail.com
We will send confirmation of registration, along with any additional information and music home with your child through your school orchestra teacher, or it will be mailed to you.