Fiddling Around the North Country

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World Fiddle Day 2024!

Come celebrate World Fiddle Day with Gretchen Koehler, the Madstop Fiddlers, and the North Country Folk Orchestra on May 11th at 2PM at the Potsdam Public Library. The Madstop Fiddlers, under the direction of Gretchen Koehler, will be kicking it off with a performance at 2:00 followed by a community play-along jam open to all acoustic musicians who want to join in. Bring your fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, concertina, tin whistle, harmonica, etc., and play along with us!

There will be two (optional) rehearsals ahead of World Fiddle Day (TAUNY, May 4, 3:00-4:00; Potsdam Public Library, May 5, 2:30-3:30) where you can learn or brush up on the tunes below. You can also practice up ahead of time with recordings and sheet music which you can find at https://www.gretchenkoehlermusic.com/world-fiddle-daypotsdam.

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January Recap

Thanks to all who came out for the January Jam on a very snowy day! We had a great turnout despite the weather. Attendees included a couple young dancers, fiddlers from near and far, several accompanists on a variety of instruments, and even a newspaper reporter. Our new tune was the Teenager’s Waltz by Graham Townsend (audio courtesy of Lamar; and here’s Graham’s album version).

We reviewed two other recent workshop tunes: Countess of Dufferin Polka by Andy DeJarlis (audio), and Life on the Ocean Wave (audio).

Our next jam will be on February 4th, 2-4PM, at the Potsdam Public Library. Hope to see you there!

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June Jam Re-Cap

Thanks to everyone who came out to the jam! Great turnout!

We played several from the World Fiddle Day packet, and a few more from the other packet (under Resources > Sheet Music), and there were several new tunes:

Our Workshop tune was Life on the Ocean Wave (aka Lady do-si-do, or First Two Ladies Cross Over). Sheet music for that is here.

Next Jam will be August 13th, 2-4, at the Potsdam Public Library.

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Video Montage from World Fiddle Day 2023

Video Montage from World Fiddle Day 2023

What a fantastic celebration of World Fiddle Day! We had over 120 attendees filling the Potsdam Public Library with beautiful music! Thanks to Gretchen Koehler for putting this all together and making it such a great success!

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World Fiddle Day 2023!

We are partnering with SLC Arts, TAUNY, and the Potsdam Public Library for a celebration of World Fiddle Day on May 21st at 2PM at the Potsdam Public Library. The Madstop Fiddlers, under the direction of Gretchen Koehler, will be kicking it off with a performance at 2:00 followed by a community play-along jam open to all acoustic musicians who want to join in. Bring your fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, concertina, tin whistle, harmonica, etc., and play along with us!

There will be two (optional) rehearsals ahead of World Fiddle Day (Potsdam Public Library, May 6, 4:00; TAUNY in Canton, May 12, 5:00) where you can learn or brush up on the tunes below. For any musicians who can’t make it in person, there will be an on-air rehearsal/jam session on North Country Public Radio’s “String Fever” from 4-5PM, May 11. Play along at home! You can also practice up ahead of time with recordings and sheet music of these tunes:

  • Devil’s Dream (A)
  • Liza Jane (A)
  • Old Joe Clark (A)
  • Boil ‘em Cabbage ‘down (A)
  • Road to Boston (D)
  • Golden Slippers (G/D)
  • Ashokan Farewell (D)
  • Jessica Waltz (D)
  • Gaspe Reel (D)
  • Soldier’s Joy (D)
  • Angelina Baker (D)
  • Cindy (D)
  • Red Wing (G)
  • Down Yonder (G)
  • Black Velvet Waltz (C )
  • Westphalia Waltz (G)