The Appalachian Fiddle

The Appalachian Fiddle is a school concert performance played on fiddle, banjo and guitar.

Since colonial times, much of the music in rural American communities has centered around the fiddle, which served as the primary instrument for dance music for over 200 years. Students gain an historical insight into how people entertained themselves prior to the advancements of media technologies like radio and recorded music, and how the isolation of communities gave rise to regional differences in musical styles. The Appalachian Fiddle presents students with some of their own regional cultural heritage they may be missing through school curriculum or popular music. They will also learn how music can be played and appreciated in the aural tradition, without the use of written form.

The concert is from 45 to 60 minutes long. It includes different combinations of fiddle, banjo and guitar, with some demonstrations of clog dancing. This concert could also be presented as an introduction to a fiddle workshop and residency.



We hope the students will realize that music is not just for listening to, it’s even more fun when you’re the one playing it. It’s been an important part of the lives of many people past and present, and everyone should give it a try. Would you like to have this program at your school? At present, we are booking in the southwestern Pennsylvania region (within 2 hours from Pittsburgh) for a fee of $450. Additional expenses would be required to travel outside of that area, or to include other activities like workshops or a residency. A discount is available for booking two nearby schools on the same day. This concert would be best suited for middle school and high school groups, ages 11 – 18.

For grade schools, see the program Rhythmic Cultures

View four articles of background information on Appalachian Music

For booking information, write to appalachianmusic@hotmail.com or call 412-422-4081