Learn to play the fiddle

Fiddle and folk violin teacher, complete beginners to advanced: Irish, Scottish, Celtic, English fiddle styles.

I give in person, one-to-one fiddle lessons from my home in Bristol, UK. I also teach fiddle online via zoom. I teach complete beginners who have never picked up a fiddle before, through to advanced players who have been playing, in some cases, for 20 years. Currently my students range in age from 5 to 75 years old. Many of my students are adult beginners, but I also teach a lot of people who are coming back to the instrument. Some, for example, played the violin when they were younger, but would now like to get back to playing but in a more folk-y fiddle style.

I like to build a relaxed and encouraging learning environment: playing music is meant to be fun! I am a very experienced teacher: I’ve given over 1000 hours of one-to-one fiddle teaching. I am a skillful and knowledgegable educator, and hold a Fellowship from the Higher Education Authority in recognition of my teaching experience.

Lessons are individually tailored to you the student, focussing on what you would like to learn. Perhaps you are interested in learning more about fiddle ornamentation, or phrasing, or improving your rhythm. Or maybe you are keen to build your repetoire of fiddle tunes. Whatever it is you would like to learn, I can help you improve your playing. Take a look at what my students say about learning with me.

I play traditional Irish, Scots and English music on the fiddle, and am a well known player on the Irish session scene in London, Bristol and Bath. I play with my own band Shanvaghera, and I play regularly with ceilidh bands in Bristol and the South West.

I teach traditional fiddle lessons from my home in Bristol, and online, for players of all standards from complete beginners to advanced players. I have 1000s of hours of one-to-one teaching experience, and excellent student feedback; currently I have 31 regular students. I also teach workshops on Irish fiddle playing.

If you would like live Irish or Scottish traditional music at your wedding, birthday, or garden party I am available for performances — on solo fiddle, or with a band — for all kinds of events. If you would like a full ceilidh with dancing, I can arrange a band (3, 4 or 5 musicians plus a dance caller) to suit your requirements. Please contact me regarding performances.