Piper o' Dundee/Pigeon on the Gate

The Musical Experience

Jink & Diddle is an intense Scottish music experience.

For the 2012 year, the school includes a full week of classes with three sets of group classes per day. Participants can self-select their groups among different groups ranging from Beginner through Advanced, taught by John Turner, and resident Instructors Melinda Craword, Colyn Fischer, and David Gardner.

The featured music for 2012 will include separate handouts for those desiring viola music or cello music for melody cello. The featured 2012 music is from the William Shepherd Collections of 1793 and 1800.

The Jink & Diddle experience is not merely repertoire, but a whole approach to the music and style, which cannot be captured on paper. There is intense exposure to the the strathspey, which is unique to Scottish music. You will absorb new approaches, and a new feel for playing in Scottish style. Some say it is not just playing the notes, but playing the spaces between the notes. Some say it's like playing by ear from sheet music.

There is an opportunity to play in two group classes daily at six different levels - two levels each of beginner, intermediate and advanced, plus a large group class in the evening. The levels are self sorting; choose between levels as suits you. You can arrange for daily 15 minute private lessons, or 30 minute private lessons on alternate days. And there are daily group workshops on technique, on ear playing, using classical technique for tradtional sound, history of Scottish Fiddle, the fiddle scene in modern Scotland, and on harmony, accompaniment and improvising accompaniment. Plus Scottish country dancing instruction and an opportunity to play for Scottish country dancing, including an opportunity to dance at and play for a Scottish dance ball. And there are jam sessions.

Week 2 - Ye Auld Jink will be less intense, with fewer attendees staing either in the Mission House or off-site, and a more relaxed schedule. The Week 2 instructor is John Turner.

Others say the Jink & Diddle experience is so intense that you feel like you breathe, sleep and eat Scottish fiddle.

Some of the sound of Jink & Diddle was captured on the CD "Hale Be Your Fiddle" and the CD "Highland Summer Storm"

The Mountain Setting in the Highlands of North Carolina

The setting is the Valle Crucis Conference Center, which was originally established as a mission to local native Americans and pioneer settlers. Participants live together in an old farm house, the Mission House of the Valley Crucis Conference Center, or "up the hill" in the Inn or the Annex or further up the hill in the Farmhouse, nestled in the mountains of North Carolina. The Inn and Annex are primarily reserved for "under 18" students and adults, the Mission House for adults. Day students may camp in nearby campgrounds or stay in nearby B&Bs or cabins in the Valle Crucis area. More information on the facilities is at http://www.highsouth.com/vallecrucis/acc.htm and http://www.highsouth.com/vallecrucis.

Classes are held in the red Apple Barn next to the Mission House, and in the Crab Orchard Hall near the Apple Barn, and "up the hill" in Bishop Johnson Hall, another of the conference center buildings with two large classroom areas.

The Mission House

The Mission House includes rooms for fiddle school attendees, a kitchen with a sink, fridge, and coffee maker....and a microwave used mainly to make popcorn. There are also a living room, a front porch with rocking chairs, a back porch for more jamming and a mountain stream nearby. Attire is informal, to suit the July/August weather in the North Carolina mountains - shorts and tees work most of the time, but sometimes it gets a bit cooler. There can be dense morning fog which usually lifts by 8 or 9 am.

You will want to bring your kilt (if you have one) for the ceilidh and ball. It can get cool in the mountains after dark, so a plaid or a jacket is a good idea.

Although most of the attendees play fiddle or violin, past students have included violists, harpers, and cittern, cello, guitar, flute, oboe, accordion, double bass, harpsichord and recorder players. Many of the 18th Century Scottish fiddlers published their books with cello/piano/harpsichord parts and advertised that the books were for violin, English and German flutes, harpsichord, violoncello and pianoforte. Some of the music has bass lines; and for 2012 the group class music will include bass lines and viola music for those requesting it.