Renowned fiddle instructor Brian Wicklund and Canadian fiddle master April Verch have joined forces to bring a new instructional book/CD to market, American Fiddle Method: Canadian Fiddle Styles.

The book and CD set will introduce the student to the Canadian fiddle style. The instruction is geared toward those who are of an intermediate level and wish to expand their playing by adding this dynamic style to their repertoire. Canadian styles covered in the book include the traditions of Old Time Canadian, French Canadian, Cape Breton and M?©tis.

In this 80 page book and 60 minute CD, Brian and April teach the simple melodies to 18 Canadian fiddle tunes, and then go on to demonstrate variations using ornaments and bowing patterns common to Canadian fiddle styles. The instruction is presented in a clear and accessible manner, bringing these more advanced techniques within grasp for all intermediate level players.

The CD includes “play along” tracks for the students continued practice.

This instructional book/CD package is available for $24.95 directly from Brian, or you should be able to find it anywhere Mel Bay products are sold.

Bluegrass fiddle player and teacher Brian Wicklund has a brand new website for fiddle players at FiddlePal.com. Brian is the author the best-selling fiddle books, The American Fiddle Method. He is also a member of the acoustic power trio, Brother Mule, and the founder of the on-line lesson site Bluegrass College.

The site in nicely laid out, featuring a lot of content, and promising even more to come in the future. Features include all the usual content one would expect from a musicians website, including Brian’s tour schedule, and a store with all his various recordings, books and DVDs for sale.

In addition, Brian has started a blog where he’ll be posting news and answering all your fiddle related questions. And the home page is sporting a free fiddle tune of the month feature. This month the tune is an intermediate version of Blackberry Blossom. The fiddle music for the tune is provided in standard notation via a downloadable PDF.

The site also promises the imminent availability of free lessons for both fiddle and mandolin. The lessons are scheduled for publication on the site in May (mandolin) and June (fiddle). These lessons will be designed to get you started from scratch and prepare you for further instruction.

If you’re a fiddle player, FiddlePal.com just may become one of your best friends.

UKBluegrass.com recently posted an interview with fiddle player, and instructor, Brian Wicklund. The interview centers around the instructional website BluegrassCollege.org. Brian was one of the founders of the site and continues to teach fiddle lessons online as one of the site’s main instructors.

We’ve told you about BluegrassCollege.org before, but for those who are new here, let me explain. The site offers online instruction on all the major bluegrass instruments, including: fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, dobro, and bass.

Each lesson includes notes and tips along with tab/notation in pdf format, the lesson in video (Quicktime) format at more than one skill level, and mp3 files of practice tracks at varying tempos.

If you want to know more, read the interview over at UKBluegrass.com and then visit BluegrassCollege.org.

Last year the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival held it’s first annual instructional camp for the three days prior to the festival. The camp was successful and they have organized it again this year. The camp and the festival are both held at the Grand Targhee Resort located within the Caribou/Targhee National Forest in Wyoming.

Having lived in Wyoming for three years I can attest to the beauty and splendor of the setting for this event.

The camp is scheduled for August 7-10, 2007 and boasts an impressive line up of instructors.

• Ben Winship – Mandolin & Camp Director
• Mike Marshall – Mandolin
• Scott Nygaard – Guitar
• Tony Trischka – Banjo
• Brian Wicklund – Fiddle
• Eric Thorin – Bass
• John Lowell – Songwriting

Using bluegrass music as the common language, the camp focus is on teaching individual instrumental skills, group playing and jamming. Each day features morning and afternoon classes on your chosen instrument, elective workshops, jam sessions (both structured and unstructured) and evening performances making this Targhee Institute event extraordinary.

Registration for the camp includes 3 days of meals and lodging. Registration fees range from $700 to just over $900 depending on your willingness to share a room with another student.

For information about the festival and the camp, visit them online at the Grand Targhee Resort website.