Kid Fiddle Academy
For kids aged 4 to 12 years old
Saturday, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
Sponsored by
RiverCity Bluegrass Festival is pleased to present our Kid Fiddle Academy, with Melanie Smith-Doderai, Jennifer Green and Troy Gates
Instruction begins on Saturday morning at 9:30 am to 12 noon, a break for lunch, then a class performance on the RiverCity Stage at 1:00 pm.
• For your child to attend, an adult chaperone must have a minimum Saturday Adult Festival Pass.
• Chaperones must attend with younger children. With older children, the chaperones are not expected to remain in class but are expected to be on site and will be asked for contact information.
• Students must have access to and be familiar with a fiddle. Please bring your instrument.
SKILL LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS
• Beginner - Melanie Smith-Doderai - ages 4 to 7 (chaperone must attend) - children should be able to play a song equivalent to “Hot Cross Buns”. The ability to play rhythmic bowing patterns would be an asset.
• Intermediate - Jennifer Green - ages 7 to 12 (chaperone must be on site) - children should be able to play 2-3 fiddle/violin tunes.
• Advanced (Troy Gates, ages 7-12) chaperone needs to be on sight – children should be able to already play 2-3 fiddle/violin tunes up to tempo.
A minimum of 3 registrations are required to run each class with a maximum of 8 students per class.
We’ll start a waitlist when the classes fill. If students 13-16 are interested in a class and if there are enough registrants, we will make another class.
REGISTRATION
Cost per student is $20.00 (lunch included). You must have an adult Saturday ticket minimum to register your child.
Kid Fiddle Academy Instructors
Melanie Smith-Doderai
Melanie is an ECS music specialist with Elk Island Catholic Schools; a private music instructor; and performed on Canada’s Got Talent as the first aerial silk violinist.
Melanie has many talents; teaching kids’ fiddle is a passion. Melanie has taught at most of the fiddle camps put on by the Alberta Society of Fiddlers and the Wild Rose Fiddle Association. She loves kids and they love her.
https://www.silkandstrings.ca/
Jennifer Green
Jennifer has 25 years as an elementary music school teacher for Edmonton Public Schools. She also is involved in a successful after-school program teaching fiddle to young students. She is a supporter of the Wild Rose Fiddle Association, the Alberta Society of Fiddlers and the Northern Bluegrass Circle. Jennifer has a bright and infectious personality, is kind, patient and has a passion for teaching fiddle music.
Troy Gates
Troy runs a successful after-school program teaching fiddle to young students with Jennifer Greens assistance. Troy also teaches at the Wild Rose Old Tyme Fiddle Jam every week and is very involved with the Alberta Society of Fiddlers as an instructor and organizer of their fiddle Camps.
Melanie, Jennifer and Troy are a natural fit for our bluegrass festival and we are very fortunate to have them teaching our Kid Fiddle Academy.
Mel, Jen and Troy will choose a few fiddle tunes that will be sent in advance for students to listen to and practice. After lunch, which is included in the registration fee, the classes will take to the stage to perform for the audience. After their performance, the students can have a seat in the audience and watch others perform. It’s our hope that your child will hear bluegrass and fall in love with it. There will be no better place to do that than at the RiverCity Bluegrass Festival!
