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crazyace |
As a veteran racing cyclist specializing in time trials I have not been getting out to play my fiddle for the past 10 years or so, though I have kept up a bit of practice at home. Any way on Boxing day at the end of last year I cycled out to a local hostelry where there was some morris dancing taking place. Well besides the dancing that was going on outside there was a session commencing inside the pub, this rekindled my desire to play again. An old friend of mine from way back was there and he told me of a fortnightly session in my home town of Barnsley here in the UK. Well once the Christmas holiday was over I called in to see what was played etc, I took my fiddle with me, and I am glad that I did because most of the tunes that they played, I knew and fitted in straight away. I enjoyed it so much it will, from now on, be an integral part of my life.
Update on returning to the fold. I have been to every session there since I first went and also joined in a session at a Barnsley town centre public house. On Monday at the club the had a guest group on and the were brilliant. the fiidle player was exceptional, Details on the band are here. http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/boweavil
I am really enjoying it all, learnng new tunes and my playing is at last improving a bit, I think.
I always seem to be practicing alone, then I found this link to a virtual session http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/sessions/ the start is a bit quick, so once you click it's away before you get the bow to the fiddle, but it's good fun playing along. might even improve my timing.
Eight years on and I have now retired from cycling, and play tenor banjo in a Ceilidh band, and Fiddle, Tenor guitar and Tenor banjo in our own trio called Barnsdale Hood. Loving life at 70 and playing more music than ever.
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