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Teaching
Rebecca is an experienced and engaging teacher, offering individual lessons and group workshops with an emphasis on building skills to connect with others through music and have fun. From March 2020 to May 2023, she taught a regular drop-in common contra tunes workshop and jam on Zoom. She was the featured New England and Scandinavian teacher at the Upper Potomac Fiddle Retreat in Shepherdstown, West Virginia in January 2020 and has taught David Kaynor's tunes, New England fiddle, and harmony playing at Fiddle Hell workshops online and in Westford, MA. She has co-led the Glen Echo Open Band and currently often co-anchors the Back Row Band in Greenfield, MA; both bands are open to all-comers and number as many as 20-30 musicians!
Current teaching:
(Note: The regular contra tunes jam is on hiatus as of May 2023.)
2nd & 4th Thursdays - Virtual Contra Dance Tunes Jam
7 - 8 pm Eastern time
Drop in to play along with common contra dance tunes over Zoom and more easily and comfortably connect with other people through music. Tunes played slowly and then up to dance tempo. Some practice so you can jump in with your local Open Band or jam!
Email Rebecca for the link: rebeccaroseweiss@gmail.com
Pay what you can. Suggested amount $25-30 per class.
April 13, 2023 - Fiddle Hell Online Workshop: "Learn an Excellent David Kaynor Tune"
8:30 - 9:30 pm Eastern and available via replay
Rebecca will teach an excellent David Kaynor tune as part of Fiddle Hell Online: Fiddle Hell Online will have 170 live workshops to learn from, 30 live concerts to enjoy, and 30 live jam sessions to join on Zoom, for fiddle, mandolin, cello, guitar, banjo, & singing. Info and registration (and discounts and giveaways) at https://FiddleHell.org.
Ongoing- Private Lessons, over Zoom and in-person in Western MA
Choose your focus- such as fiddle styles from New England, Appalachia, and more; dance playing, composing, harmonizing, playing with others, making arrangements, and technique. Having fun is a given!!
Email rebeccaroseweiss@gmail.com to schedule a lesson.
Previous workshops, a selection- 2020-2022:
(Contact me if you'd like to schedule any of these for a private group in person or online!)
Thursdays - Virtual Contra Dance Tunes Workshop & Jam
7 - 8 pm Eastern time
Drop in to have fun learning common contra dance tunes over Zoom and more easily and comfortably connect with other people through music. The first half of the class is made up of tune melodies taught slowly, then discussion of harmony and ornaments. Some discussion of chords; primarily focused on strategies for melody instruments. The second half of the class is a relaxed-pace jam. Jump in with your local Open Band or jam once physical distancing is over!
Email Rebecca for the link: rebeccaroseweiss@gmail.com
Pay what you can. Suggested amount $25-30 per class.
Venmo: @Rebecca_Weiss
PayPal: paypal.me/rebeccarweiss
S-EAR-iously! You can learn by ear! Continued...
Beginner (mostly contra) tune learning by ear. Have you felt like every ear-learning class was moving too fast? Intimidated at the idea of learning by ear? Or just looking for a calm Sunday evening activity? Come try it out in a supportive and friendly environment with other people in the same (metaphorical) boat. You can do it!
Primarily geared toward melody instruments. Tunes sent out ahead of time for advance listening.
Two Sundays, March 6 and 20, 6 - 7 pm EST. Come to one or both!
RSVP to me to register: rebeccaroseweiss@gmail.com
Pay-what-you-can, suggested amount $25-30.
Harmony How-To, with Gianna Marzilli Ericson
Sunday March 13, 7 - 8:30 pm Eastern
A special workshop focused on harmony playing.
Tips, tricks, and tools to help you harmonize!
Perhaps you’re thinking, “I’ve learned so many melodies on Zoom these last two years; what now?" Or, "I know I'll play with people in person again someday; how can I add some variety?" We have one word for you: harmony!
Harmony is a musical topic near and dear to us for many reasons, and we are excited to offer a workshop focused on incorporating harmony into your playing. We'll talk about tips and tricks for getting started, things to listen for, and techniques to try. There will be time for listening - we'll demonstrate some strategies in real time - and time for playing, where you can try them too.
Don’t be fooled: everyone can harmonize! It's a skill you can learn like any other, and once you know some basics a whole new world of possibilities awaits. You can add rhythm or interest to tunes in a jam, or jump in even if you don't know the tune others are playing. Harmony is another tool in your musical toolbox that can help you connect and create music with others. And, it is really fun!
Techniques will focus on fiddle; all instruments are welcome!
RSVP to Rebecca to register: rebeccaroseweiss@gmail.com
Pay-what-you-can, suggested amount $25-30.
Fiddle Hell Online Workshop: "Learn a Fun David Kaynor Tune"
Friday April 8, 7 - 8 pm Eastern
Fiddle Hell Online, from April 7-10, 2022, will have 180 live workshops to learn from, 35 live concerts to enjoy, and 35 live jam sessions to join on Zoom, for fiddle, mandolin, cello, guitar, old-time banjo, & singing. Rebecca will teach David's tune "Sustainers" on April 8 at 7 pm, also available for four months as video replay.
Info and registration (and discounts) at https://FiddleHell.org.
Rebecca as featured instructor: https://youtu.be/-1cIr43i8JE