Tim Ball
Fiddle & Guitar
www.timballviolin.com
Fiddler and guitarist Tim Ball has been a staple of the traditional music scene in western New York for the better part of a decade. With a repertoire grounded in New England and Irish-American dance tunes, he’s well known for a sensitive approach that allows him to traverse a wide range of styles, from Appalachian old-time to bluegrass and swing. Tim lives in Newfield, NY, and performs throughout the northeast with his Celtic trio Arise & Go, and contra dance bands Tempest and Center Street.
Tim’s Workshops Descriptions
Fiddle Technique & Orientation Session (all levels): Roughly speaking, “technique” means “how to use your instrument efficiently, to help the music you like to play sound good.” Bowing, tone, intonation, shifting, dexterity, and rhythm are all potential topics - bring difficulties and questions! This will be a mini-lesson session or a workshop depending on interest.
Two fiddles (Int/Adv): Learn some of the many ways that two fiddle players can have fun playing together - unison playing, harmonies, accompaniment textures, and rhythmic techniques. come experiment with us!
New England Fiddle Tunes (Int/Adv): Learn a couple of classic New England fiddle tunes, along with some stylistic elements that make them sound great and work well for contra dancing.
Sligo-style Irish Fiddle Tunes (Int/Adv): Learn a couple of tunes from the Co. Sligo/New York City tradition of Irish fiddle playing. We’ll put a lot of emphasis on bowing patterns, and introduce/review some basic Irish ornamentation.