Boston States Offers the World’s Best Instruction in Scottish Music

September 13, 2024

We’re delighted that Boston States Fiddle Camp will be returning to campus this October, bringing the very best in Scottish and Cape Breton music and instruction to Potash Hill. Registration for the October 23-27, 2024 event is currently open.

The Boston States Fiddle Camp is a long-weekend residential program founded in 2020 by Katie McNally, Dorene Higgons, and Katharine MacPhail, with help from Rachel Reeds. It was first held on Potash Hill last year, from October 19-22, 2023. Boston States offers a unique musical immersion by taking a deep dive into Scottish and Cape Breton traditional music. Their priority is to provide the world’s best instruction in Scottish music while building community and fostering creativity and fun across ability levels, age, and backgrounds. New England has long been a hotbed for Scottish music and culture in America, and Boston States Fiddle Camp builds on that important legacy, offering classes in fiddle, piano, guitar, step dance, Gaelic song, and more.

In a triumphant celebration of traditional music and community, the world-class staff of the Boston States Fiddle Camp will perform a concert at Potash Hill on Sunday, October 27, 2024 at 1:30 pm. Featuring fiddles, bagpipes, Gaelic song, step dancing, and more, this concert culminates a weekend of immersive instruction and learning. Performers include such luminaries of Scottish music as artistic director Katie McNally; fiddlers Andrea Beaton (Cape Breton), Louise Bichan (Scotland), Galen Fraser (Spain); bagpiper Tim Cummings; guitarists Keith Murphy and Eamon Sefton; pianist Neil Pearlman; step dancer Abbie MacQuarrie; and many more. Tickets are $25 advance / $30 at the door and available at bostonstatesfiddle.com/tickets.

Whether you are just learning the fiddle, you’re a classical player, or you’ve been playing Scottish music for 40 years, you have a place at Boston States. There is a day camper rate for locals as well. For more information, visit bostonstatesfiddle.com.

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