| Fiddle music through American history. Starting with Colonial times, Tim presents tunes that were known at various periods of American history, connecting them with important events and people. Did you know that Patrick Henry was an outstanding fiddler? -That a slave on the Lewis and Clark expedition played the fiddle? -That the name of a famous tune commemorating a battle from the War of 1812 had its name changed because of a general of the Civil War? These and many other facts will be illustrated with tunes and traditional regional styling in a 1/2 - 1 hour presentation. |
| American music and dance before the phonograph. Today music is taken for granted. In our society, we hear music almost constantly wherever we go, and whatever we do. Before Thomas Edison invented recording, music was something much more special, and wonderful. Through use of traditional iSongs our great-great-great-grandparents loved.nstruments and old songs, Tim presents a world where most music was of the homemade type, on simple instruments or with none at all. He shows the impact of the fiddle on life in an expanding country. He also explains the transition from identifying a song with its composer to identifying it with a particular performer. |
| Songs our great-great-great-grandparents loved. Young people today are familiar with all the currently popular songs on the radio, television, and the internet. Many are also acquainted with "oldies": songs popular a generation or two ago. But Tim will take a trip back in time more than 100 years, to the songs that were popular before the invention of recording; that were popular at the time of the Civil War; that were sung and popular at the time of the founding of our country. The presentation may use guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and harp to show the variety of music played way back when. |
| Music of the immigrants to America. America in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th century built its population largely from immigrants from Northern Europe. Tim, using songs and traditional instruments, presents music brought here by these immigrants, and eventually blended into the American repertoire. |
| Folk music of Scandinavia. A presentation of Folk songs and tunes from Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark. Tim shows the variety of rhythm and harmony, using authentic traditional instruments: fiddle, Swedish nyckelharpa, Norwegian Hardanger fiddle, and others. He also presents an introduction to the dance traditions of these countries. The dancing can be either demonstration or a participation activity. |
| Folk music of the British Isles. Fiddle tunes and songs from Ireland and Scotland and England are still popular in America among aficianados. Tim will present a cross-section of music showing the depth, energy, and beauty of this traditional music. |
| Folk music and customs of Sweden. Most Americans are unacquainted with the marvelous world of traditional music in this out-of-the-way country in Northern Europe. In an area the size of California, they have one of the richest traditions of folk music in the world. Thousands of tunes, wonderful rhythms, dozens of distinct dialects of music from place to place. Tim presents a delightful collection of tunes on both nyckelharpa and fiddle, which can energize, relax, and astonish listeners with the variety and complexity of Sweden's musical treasure. |
| A sampling of concert/lectures appropriate for elementary to high-school level |