This is a day of workshops, jamming, collaboration, and creativity. All students come prepared with two or more jam tunes (see Jam Tunes tab) to play together with the other students when they arrive. Students are assigned classes by level, and teachers rotate among the different groups to teach new tunes and coach creative arrangement of the jam tunes. At the end of the day, parents, friends, and families are invited to attend an informal concert featuring the day's work.
The Nutmeg Fiddle Workshop is for grades 4-12 students who play a string instrument. This includes but is not limited to fiddle, violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, and mandolin.
Students need a recommendation from a school, community, or private music teacher to attend. At a minimum, students must be confident playing in G and D major keys, and willing to learn by ear. Students will be grouped in classes by experience level specified on the enrollment form.
Recommending teachers and parents are welcome to observe.
Saturday, February 1st, snow date Sunday, February 2nd.*
Check-in time is 10:00. Festivities begin at 10:00. Concert at 3:00 p.m.
*Snow date times: check in: 12:00 noon. Concert at 5:00 p.m.
Mansfield Middle School
205 Spring Hill Road
Storrs, CT 06268
Pre-register using the Enroll tab on this website. The deadline to pre-register is January 17.
$30-Junior Jam and Main Jam students who pre-register online (highly encouraged)
Payments for pre-registered students can be made online via PayPal or by mailing a check or cash. Please indicate your preferred payment method on the pre-registration form so we can send you the appropriate information.
$35-Junior Jam and Main Jam students who register on-site on February 1
(from coordinator Lindsey Clark) Fiddle tunes are awesome at bringing people together! Folk music styles from around the world are deeply rooted in the social traditions of gathering to dance, jam, and celebrate together. I've met musicians from other states and even other countries who know the same tunes as me, and we could create our own duets instantly because of the shared repertoire.
String teachers in Connecticut recognize music education as a positive force for bringing people together--this is by no means a new idea. Many of our students have opportunities to meet other kids who play instruments in auditioned youth orchestras and honors ensembles. But there is also a whole world of string playing outside the orchestral discipline, as well as plenty of students who might enjoy a collaborative musical experience that doesn't include a competitive audition. In non-classical styles, performers are creators in addition to interpreters of the music though arranging and improvisation.