Ardkinglas
Weekend Residential Friday 16th - Sunday 18th August 2024. 
lead tutors - Amy Geddes and Donald Knox
with Daisy McCormick and Roberto Rabinovich

Watch this wee wee video we made in 2020 to find out a bit more about Fyne Fiddles teaching and to see inside our beautiful venue, Ardkinglas house.

Course Information 

Our Ardkinglas weekends are suitable for fiddle players of most abilities, whether you read music or play by ear or a mixture of both. As a guide, if you have been playing for less than a year then this might be a bit too ambitious a course for you just yet - but keep us in mind for next year! 

In a typical teaching weekend only 2 or 3 tunes will be covered, with consideration given to technique, style & musicianship and allowing ample space for discussion, reflection and exploring ideas as they surface. 

Lessons are fun and inspiring but we are careful not to overload students with material or information. Having guitar accompaniment in the fiddle classes means that there is a constant supporting instrument for us to tune into - and Amy and Donald have built up a great teaching rapport over the years, so expect belly laughter aplenty.

We offer options for you to play melody, accompaniment (based on chords & rhythm) and / or fiddle harmony parts. Each part of the arrangement demands different skills & techniques of you as a player. Donald is the mastermind behind these arrangements and he will provide written notation for all material covered. 

This years tutors are Amy Geddes & Donald Knox with Daisy McCormick (Amy’s ex-student now studying music in Uist with UHI) and Roberto Rabinovich (Bandoneon and Guitar player all the way from Buenos Aires!). Please see our tutors page for more information.

Tutor Page
The Venue

Set in stunning woodland gardens, Ardkinglas House sits at the head of Loch Fyne in Argyll. There are beautiful woodland or loch-side walks, mountains to climb and even the tallest tree in Britain to admire. 

In Ardkinglas House we are surrounded by artwork, furniture, tapestries, carvings and paintings that inspire and let us imagine some of the stories hidden behind the beautifully crafted fabric of the building. The history of the place, it’s warmth, age & wisdom are absorbed unconsciously into our beings, our minds, our hands, our fingers and so go on into our instruments and music!

Being in an old building full of stunning craftsmanship and design is a good reminder of what we are losing in modern life. Here we truly leave behind the iPads, iPods, PCs and all the other pesky pressures of modern life to immerse ourselves in music-making on beautiful wooden instruments in an old wooden building.

And we are the only ones there. Being in a space that is your own, away from home and all its distractions with only your fellow music-makers for company lets you focus entirely on the task in hand. 

Not only are the walls full of artwork, there are pianos, harps, violins. This house is a place where creativity and music are desired and welcomed. No more putting a mute on your fiddle, or waiting till your family and neighbours are out to practise! 

Meals

All the meals are prepared by the tutors with help from the wonderful Sandra Knox. We prepare everything in house and do all catering and serving and cleaning up ourselves for the whole weekend. This is quite a big job, so it’s an all hands on deck approach when it comes to loading the dishwasher after meals. Donald is chief dishwasher - self-appointed - so just follow his lead. 

Sandra is responsible for an array of delicious puddings & tray bakes that will relentlessly tempt you into indulgence for the whole weekend - you have been warned! 

Doing things ourselves means that we can eat what we want when we want it. We can cater to any dietary needs you have including not cooking things that make you go “yeurgh” This is another aspect of being at Ardkinglas that makes it so special - there are truly no ties when we are there, not even the sound of a dinner gong! (That said there is a splendid gong in the dining room and we could sound it if we wanted.)

We provide everything you need to eat and drink with the exception of alcoholic drinks, so please bring your own if you wish.


Accommodation 

There is a limited amount of accommodation in Ardkinglas house where you can stay as a guest of the house. The house has not been modernised, so bathrooms are shared and queues sometimes form! Most of the rooms are twin occupancy. Alternatively, there is accommodation in the village of Cairndow at the Stagecoach Hotel (easy walking distance) or there are a few local B&Bs.

Course Fees & Booking Information 

To book please choose from Option 1 or 2 then e-mail amy@fynefiddles.scot telling us your choice. We will return a booking form and details of payment methods for you to complete and return. 

Option 1 - £340
Fully residential, includes B&B accommodation, all meals and snacks and full course fees. Deposit £170 (NB Twin occupancy rooms and single tower rooms are slightly cheaper at £300, deposit £150.)

Option 2 - £200
Non residential, includes all meals and snacks and full course fees (excludes B&B). Deposit £100

Concessions - We are able to offer limited concessionary places on our courses for anyone who is passionate about learning fiddle, but cannot afford our full fees. This is a discretionary offer - please contact Amy directly if you would like to apply for a discount. amygeddes@mac.com 

The course will start with a buffet evening meal available from 6.30pm on Friday 23rd August. You are welcome to arrive from 5.00pm. The weekend ends after lunch at 2.30pm on Sunday 25th August, giving you time for a hill walk, a trip to Loch Fyne Oysters or Ales or a leisurely journey home.

Our fees reflect the high quality of the venue & the low numbers of students attending (maximum 15 people). We believe that smaller numbers of students offers a high quality learning experience and that working in beautiful and special surroundings adds to this.


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