My Life With The Fiddle

Mark O'Connor

2011-09-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

Last night was the Strings for Kids benefit concert, and Mark O'Connor performed. IT WAS AMAZING! I just can't even explain the amazing talent and natural talent that he has. I attended a free workshop that he put on earlier in the day, I really enjoyed it. He mostly talked about his new method, but what I liked most was how he explained that you need to have creativity when playing you need to be well rounded. If you are going to focus on just one style of music and do the same thing over and over again, you will get nowhere. We opened the concert playing a couple of fiddle tunes, then Mark came on stage and played two songs with us, Fiddlers Dream and Chief Sitting In The Rain. The first half of the concert featured Mark playing some of his Violin stuff that he composed, and also him playing some improv. The improv was CRAZY I cannot even imagine having the capability to make up that much right on the spot and still have it sound amazing. Then the second half he brought Joe Sites and Rick Youngblood out on the stage to play some geetar, and Jesse Maw on the Tenor Guitar. Once the geetars got on stage and they started to play some Texas-Style Oldtime Fiddle tunes I immediately started tapping my foot and nodding my head to the beat, I wanted to yell out but had to hold myself back. There is just something about fiddle, once it starts to play some good contest tunes and the geetars are playin, I get warm inside and I get this feeling inside, I have no idea what it is but I just absolutely LOVE the fiddle, I have no idea where I would be without it, it runs through my blood! and I am addicted to it! It was an amazing concert and a once in a lifetime opportunity. Mark, Jesse, and Rick all signed my fiddle case and I am going to start have some of my favorite musicians and people that I look up to sign it. Hannah, Audrey, and Laura King came and stayed with us from Molt, Montana. I love them and was so glad they could come stay with us, they are such wonderful people. I love being able to meet all of these amazing people that all share the same love for music as I do. Next up, Jenny Oaks Baker!

2011-03-05T14:09:00.000-08:00

Wow time is flying by so fast. January 8th and 9th we went to the Rocky Mountain fiddle contest in Denver, Colorado. It was my first time in colorado, and it was a hard contest! Matt Hartz, Dennis Ludiker, and Junior Marriot were the judges. I tied for 6th place and my friend Laura got first, in the Junior Division. January 29th we went to the Montana Winter Fair fiddle contest, in Lewistown Montana. I played in the championship division and place 4th. Grace turned 9 so she played in the Junior Junior division, she was the youngest one in there but she took first place! We had a fun time jamming and playing with Jim Mcmillan and other contestants there. Grace and I were even in a local newpaper! Then on February 19th and 20th we went to the Dillon fiddle contest in Dillon, Montana. There I got second place, Grace got 3rd, and Lindsey also got 3rd. Dillon is one of my favorite fiddle contest! I love going and seeing all of my good Fiddle Friends. I also played in the talent show Saturday night, I played Wildwood Flower on my Harmonica and Guitar. Then yesterday(March 4th) we had the opportunity to play our fiddles for the Governor of Idaho, C.L."Butch" Otter. He really enjoyed it, and it was a great experience! Lastly I GOT A NEW GEEETAR! I have been saving my money up for a while now and my dad decided to meet me half way. It is a 1966 Gibson Country Western. It is great for backing up fiddlers and is a great sounding instrument! I am so excited to play it! I also had my high school orchestra concert on Tuesday on March 1st. I was first violin first stand. We played several songs from movies and commercials. My favorite was the "hoedown" from Rodeo, probably just because it is a faster more fiddly tune. I also played in a Quartet with some friends, we played a medley of Lady Gaga songs. We tried out for our school talent show and made it! I also went with my family to the Idaho Falls Symphony red dress concert with Rockapella as their guest. I am so thankful for music and for the joy that it brings into my life! Its in my heritage and this fiddle music is in my blood, I LOVE IT!

Fiddle Fotoshoot

2010-11-07T09:13:00.001-08:00

Sherelle and I always have fun dressing up and taking pictures. This time we decided to do a little fiddle/guitar/mandolin photoshoot. It was lots of fun! there are many more but here is just a few.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

On friday night, Sherelle, Lindsey, Grace, Laura, and I went to the Haunted Theatre in Shelley. It was more fun, than scary. After that we went to Arctic Circle and got milkshakes and then headed to sherelle's house where we jammed! I love jamming! you learn so much!

I "own" a Fiddle Contest

2010-10-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

This fiddle contest is one that I will never forget! It was so much fun! but there were so many emotions, sad because joe and jacie are moving, happy because I won, nervous to perform, busy i have to be on stage, thankful for music, and so many more! The night before the contest Laura, Jacie, Joe, Jim, and I jammed. Joe and Jacie ordered pizza and rootbeer, we ate and jammed. It was lots of fun and I learned alot! We (all of jacie's students) put on the fiddle contest and had 50+ contestants. Jim Mcmillan came all the way from Bozeman to play guitar. We also put on a fun wee fiddle contest, where you have to play little (wee) fiddles. Everything had to be wee. We had a ukelele(for a guitar) and a cello(for a bass). It was lots of fun! I also judges the novice and the pee wee divisions with Laura Waters, and Kai Johnson. I got Second in the Junior Div, Third in the wee, I got accknowledged for playing the guitar, the most musical fiddler, I also got voted as the best fiddler, and I also won Champion of the Day and with that I got a Blue fiddle(done by joe) and a big traveling trophy cup. The champion of the day was nerve wrecking but fun. They called up the four best fiddlers of the day(so no one knew who was going up there) they called me, Laura, Kai, and Tabitha. They sat us down on the stage and told up to play boil em cabbage in a certain key. I was choosen first, so I had no time to figure out what the fingerings where. I played it in the key of C. Next they told us to play a tune out of book one or two of the fiddle method that we usually wouldn't play in a fiddle contest. I played Devil's Dream. Then we got to play whatever tune we wanted.

Again I am so thankful for fiddle contests! I go to school and stress and worry but then when I am around the fiddle and all of the fiddlers it is so much fun! I wish everyday was a fiddle contest!

District 93 Orchestra Concert

2010-10-31T18:02:00.001-07:00

I had my Orchestra concert at Hillcrest High School on October 19, 2010. The director is Lauren Folkner. I was a First violin and we played, In the hall of the mountain king and the Capriol Suite.

2010 Contests

2010-10-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

These are the fiddle contest that I went to this year...

Dillon Fiddle Contest, Dillon, Montana February 13-14, 2010 6th place Junior div.
Idaho Open Fiddle Contest, Nampa, Idaho June 4-5, 2010 5th place Junior div.
National Oldtime Fiddle Contest, Weiser, Idaho June 23, 2010 15th place Junior div. 13th place Twin Fiddle
Idaho State Fiddle Contest, Shoshone, Idaho July 10, 2010 3rd place Junior div. 1st place Guitar flatpicking
Montana State Fiddle Contest, Red Lodge, Montana July 23-24, 2010 2nd place Junior
Teton County Fiddle Contest, Jackson Hole, Wyoming August 1, 2010 1st place Junior
Rocky Mountain Regional Fiddle Contest, Casper, Wyoming August 21, 2010 1st place Junior div. 1st place Guitar, 1st place Mandolin, 3rd place Championship
Headwaters Fiddle Contest, Three Forks, Montana October 16, 2010 2nd place Junior div.
I "own" a Fiddle Contest, Iona, Idaho October 23, 2010 2nd place Junior div. 3rd place Wee fiddle, Guitar, Voted Best Fiddler, Most Musical Fiddler, Novelty 6th place, Champion of the day 1st place

wow! thats alot of fiddle contests! and too many to post pictures of! wow its fun to go back and look at how much I have improved! I look forward to next year when it all starts up again. We are going to go to even more fiddle contests!

Headwaters Fiddle Contest

2010-10-31T16:59:00.001-07:00

Me playing

1st - Hannah King
2nd- Shelby Russell
3rd- John Schlender

Judge: Kerri Keller

Judge: Wyatt Maw

Let me just start with the headwaters fiddle contest! It was Saturday October 16 in Three Forks, Montana at the headwaters livestock. It was so much fun. All of my fiddle friends from Montana where there. It started in the morning and went all day. The judges were Wyatt Maw and Kerri Keller. For my first round I played Bittercreek, Rockabye Moon, and Hotfoot. My second round I played Sally Johnson, Roxanne's Waltz, and Flapjack Rag. Finally for my third round I played Chinqua Pin, Bridget's Waltz, and Red Apple Rag. I also Played in the Novelty and I played Midnight on the water, its a cool crosstuned song that sounds like bagpipes. For all my rounds my guitar players were Ray Padilla and Britt Smith. We had breaks inbetween and for dinner we ate at the cafe that was at the livestock place and O.M.G!!!! it was sooooooo goooooood! It was the best cheesburger that I have EVER had! I got second place. My friend Hannah King got first. And also John Schlender who got third. I won a T-shirt with the headwaters fiddle contest logo on it and $50. The guy who puts on the fiddle contest wants me to come back next year and judge it! I am so thankful for fiddle contest! not only are they so much fun, but you always meet new people and make lifelong friends and you get to share and improve your talents with others.

Shelby Rae

2010-10-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

I think I'm going to start this blogging thing back up again, if I can find time. I thought it would be neat to go back and see all the things that was going on right now because I have been so busy. Except for now my blog is going to be devoted to what I do with music and fiddling. Lots has been going on and we have gone to more fiddle contests this year than any year so far we've been to nine. They are so much fun and I am addicted to them! I am getting everything together and I will be posting soon. Last night was the best and bittersweet night of my life!

Some Antique Jewelry

2009-12-30T17:22:00.000-08:00

2009-11-25T08:20:00.000-08:00

So I went to school the other day and lauren told me to post on my blog so here it is. Last weekend we went to Boise to help my sister move into their new home. saturday night me and tawsha decided to go to new moon. HA HA HA HA HA! have I got lots to laugh about. I have to agree it was better than twilight but still it was pretty pathetic. the scene with jasper freaking out is hilarious and looking at these pictures I dont see how bella falls for edward and not jacob

Some Pictures and a Fiddle Contest

2009-07-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

lately I've been into the old hair do's. lily and kate were over and they wanted me to do their hair and make-up and then take some pictures. It was fun! I decided to try one out on my own hair. Sherelle took some old fashioned pictures the other day that i thought turned out cute! thankyou sherelle! this saturday was the idaho state oldtime fiddlers championships(a.k.a Shoshone, ID fiddle contest) it was fun grace took fifth in small fry(which was a HARD division) shannon took third in junior and I took second. The contest was in the middle of a little farmers market thing called arts in the park. it is one of my favorite fiddle contest.

Fourth of July and Girls Camp

2009-07-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

WOW! so far the month of july has been crazy! i went to girls camp and that was very fun and very spiritual! my neices and nephew hadn't seen me in a week and so i went out to my sisters house. every fourth of july we go slip n sliding and we always eat a really good dutch oven dinner, and of course fire works (ill have to say they are twenty billion times better than idaho falls). but this year we added probably a couple new traditions, number one lawn mower races and number two throwing fireworks in the canal. wow!

Idaho Open Fiddle Contest

2009-06-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

This friday and saturday was the Idaho Open Fiddle Contest in Nampa, Id. It was tons of fun. not only was this weekend the fiddle contest but my sister Tawsha's baby got blessed on sunday.

I won First in Junior Intermediate. Grace also won First but in Small Fry Intermediate, and Lindsey won third in Junior Junior intermediate. We also won Best Costume in the Showcase where we played garnets tune while my sister Sherelle irish step danced.

sLiP n SLiDiNg!!!

2009-06-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!!!

2009-05-29T16:26:00.000-07:00

AWH! so today was my last day of school for 8th grade! so i am now a freshman! wow this year went by so fast and to be honest i am really sad! i wish every day were like today!

2009-05-28T19:13:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been a city girl during the week but then once it hit Friday I'd turn right into a country girl out to my sisters house. We have been working in the garden, planting and weeding. We've also been on a couple of picnics. We went slip n sliding for the first time this year and we have been playing with the ducks, geese, hens, rosters, kittens, and bunnies alot. Now this is just the beginning. School hasn't even got out yet! Tomorrow is officially my last day of school. this year has gone by so fast and next year I will be a freshman in high school! im really excited!