Flexible Fiddling 

Flexible Fiddling: Folk Meets Improv in the String Orchestra

Session Date: Wednesday, February 25

Session Start Time (PT): 3:00:00 PM

Session End Time (PT): 4:00:00 PM

ASTA National Conference – San Francisco, CA.

Flexible Fiddling: Folk Meets Improv in the String Orchestra introduces teachers to creative strategies for teaching improvisation using folk music. Participants learn to teach three essential roles—bass line, backup (chop or rhythm), and melody—empowering students to play by ear and create ensemble arrangements. Students are encouraged to add micro-improvisations to the melody, building confidence and creativity. This practical, inclusive approach helps students develop listening skills, rhythmic flexibility, and a deeper connection to their music.

Do you want happy and engaged students?

Flexible Fiddling is a kid-tested program that takes the guesswork away.  Everything is spelled out and kid-tested. Your students will love it.

Orchestra students learn how to play fiddle tunes authentically. Yet they won’t just learn the tunes.

They create bass lines, accompaniments, and play the melody. They tell their friends that orchestra is cool, making your job of recruitment and retention easier. They reach out to younger students and show them how to play the cool music they learned in orchestra.

And they have fun!

Each arrangement includes:

• Lesson plans with links to teaching videos.
• Student parts for Building Blocks and an Orchestra Arrangement
• Parts are double-sided – One side has alpha noteheads to help the youngest students. The other side has standard music notation.
• Conductor’s score of the Building Blocksﾠpage.
• Conductor’s score of the Orchestra Arrangement.
• Mp3 recordings of backing tracks to use in your classroom
• Links to Strum Machine backing tracks that you can slow down or speed up to use in your classroom