Available Courses

Advanced Beginner Fiddle

This course is geared towards the advanced beginner with assumption that you already have some experience with the instrument. Please note that it is does not teach the instrument from scratch.

We will be working on building our Cape Breton repertoire in fiddle friendly keys like A, D, and G. We will cover all the major tune types- marches, strathspeys, reels and jigs and learn how tune sets are constructed in the Cape Breton style. Emphasis is on learning the tunes by ear. Do not worry if you have limited experience learning by ear; we will learn techniques to helps us with our ear training. We will also look at over all technique issues in bowing and fingering as they are relevant to learning the tunes. We will cover basic stylistic characteristics of the Cape Breton style in each tune, with the goal of making these characteristics  feel more natural. If you have only a bit of experience with the instrument, this course is for you. One of my goals is to help improve your overall technique to help you fiddle more efficiently.

Advanced Fiddle

The advanced course goes beyond the beginner course with more in-depth coverage of bowings and ornaments commonly heard in the Cape Breton style. We will cover the major tune types of strathspeys, reels, and jigs and go over concepts in grouping tunes together in the Cape Breton style. You will be suited for this course if you have a competent knowledge of the instrument, whether or not you are from a fiddle or classical music background. Emphasis is on learning by ear but like in the beginner course, do not worry if you have limited experience learning by ear. We will work on that along the way.

Cape Breton Piano Accompaniment

The unique style of Cape Breton piano accompaniment with its lively, intricate dance rhythms, harmony and baselines  plays a huge role in making the Cape Breton fiddle sound so distinctive. The piano is such an important partner to the fiddle in Cape Breton that you will rarely hear the fiddle without it. Over the course of 6 lessons, students will learn to accompany the most common tune types that make up the Cape Breton repertoire: a jig, reel, strathspey and march.  Topics covered include the distinctive Cape Breton rhythms used to accompany each tune type as well as concepts in harmony and bass line construction. Along with the 6 video lessons, students also receive the following supplemental materials:

-pdf’s of chord charts

-mp3 practice play alongs at 3 different speeds

-ear training exercises

-a supplemental ebook

-2 personal Skype lessons with me

This course is a one-time fee of $250.

Note: Please email me directly at to register for this course. There is no direct link to paypal on this site.