Sore Fingers Week (5-9 April 2010): latest news

If you're thinking of attending Europe's premier bluegrass/old-time instrument instruction course, here's an update from the Sore Fingers Week organisers:

The old-time classes are doing reasonably well but are still low on numbers, especially the fiddle. If you are planning to book, please let us know of your commitment as soon as possible please. We could do with about seven fiddle students and five banjo students to make things work out.

Bluegrass fiddle is looking a bit sad as well this year, and if you fancy learning how to play the fiddle without retuning every five minutes (no offence intended towards the OT fiddlers!), why not have a go with Brian Wicklund on the bluegrass fiddle course. Brian is a great teacher.

Other courses that could do with a boost are singing (Chris Stuart and Janet Beazley), Bass (with Eric Thorin) and Autoharp (with Cathy Britell).

Stewart Williams has had to pull out of teaching this year due to personal reasons outside of his control. We will be replacing him with a small team of tutors but the course will be taught as a group.

Finally, I’m pleased to announce that Mike Compton has agreed to take on a second class of mandolin players. Mike is probably one of the best exponents of 'old-time' mandolin playing around; and if you play the instrument in an old-time setting, he comes highly recommended.

In closing, I just want to remind people that we are able to run classes with low numbers as those that fill up (like bluegrass banjo for instance) allow us to offset the losses. That is what has happened in the past when old-time classes have not attracted enough students. But with a recession and people quite understandably worried about their jobs, bookings are generally down across the board, that cross subsidy is less available to us. So we do need your continued support.

Thanks in advance,

John & Moira