I saw a meme today that read “Is what you’re doing today getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow?”. It resonated deeply with me, especially as I find myself diving into Day 5 of my 31-day music practice challenge. This journey isn’t just about playing notes or learning tunes; it’s about committing to daily practice to become better musician. Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com In embarking on this challenge, I’ve realized that the journey towards achieving a long-term goal is not just about the big leaps forward, but rather the small steps we take each day. As I reflect on the ..read more

3…2…1 and it’s March 1st, the day I kick off my 31-Day Practice Challenge. Today marks the beginning of a new journey towards honing my musical skills, and I can’t wait to see how I improve. As I sit down to start, I realize I haven’t nailed down a detailed practice schedule for the entire month just yet. But that’s okay; for the next few days, my focus will be on fine-tuning my intonation, perfecting my timing, and learning keys. I pulled out some of my practice books I’ve collected over the years. They hold a wealth of knowledge and guidance that I’ll be delving into during this challenge ..read more

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com Recently, I’ve been following Hilary Hahn on Instagram, an award-winning solo violinist. I’ve been mesmerized by her practice process and how she learns the pieces she plays. Some days she talks about how she visualizes a piece and other days she shows you how she practices. It can be as tedious as just placing her fingers on the fingerboard to gain muscle memory, or practicing one small part over and over again. Watching her daily has inspired me to commit to a 31-day practice, because if one of the worlds greatest violinists is practicing daily, I shou ..read more

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com Each year I set my new year’s resolutions to the tune of practicing more, eating right, exercising, and all the typical goals most people set. But this year, I am shifting my approach. Instead of a laundry list of goals, I’ve distilled my aspirations down to a single, transformative resolution: to live more in the moment. I think we spend too much time worrying about the future and bemoaning the past, that we forget to appreciate the here and now. And music, in its essence, is a celebration of the present moment. The Symphony of the Present Moment When we e ..read more

One of the things I love about Vermont is some of the awesome shows that pass through town. This week don’t miss The Friel Sisters at the Barre Opera House on Friday, November 17 at 7:30pm. Get tickets here. About The Friel Sisters (from their website) Anna, Sheila and Clare Friel are traditional musicians born from the Doire na Mainséar, Donegal in the North West of Ireland. Being siblings, they achieve a close blend on fiddle, flute and uilleann pipes interspersed with songs sang in unison, many from their family and local repertoire. Born in Glasgow, the girls credit their main musical deve ..read more

On Friday, Nov 10th at 7pm, legendary Irish fiddle player Kevin Burke will be playing a concert at the Telford/Connor residence at 1060 Bent Hill Rd in Braintree, VT.  From early days with The Bothy Band to his celebrated solo performances, Kevin Burke is considered one of Irish music’s luminaries. The recipient of a National Heritage Fellowship from the NEA in the US, and in Ireland the prestigious Gradam Ceoil award, he is acknowledged as a master of the tradition. Although Kevin has spent much of his life playing in a group context, he has never lost his love for solo fiddle music – t ..read more

We’ve been practicing for a few weeks now for a gig we’re playing at the Old Stagecoach Inn on Friday, October 13 (from 5-7pm if you’re interested). Aside from playing through our sets, our intros and outros, working on dynamics, and practicing all the stuff bands practice, I’ve been focused on two things; playing through mistakes, and learning to have fun while performing. Playing Through the Mistakes Let’s first talk about playing through mistakes. In the past, when learning or practicing a tune, I’d play until I made a mistake and then I’d immediately stop and start the tune over. Maybe I ..read more

Wendy MacIsaac is a highly regarded Canadian fiddler and musician known for her exceptional talent in Cape Breton-style fiddling. She hails from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, which is renowned for its rich tradition of Celtic music and dance. Wendy has made significant contributions to preserving and promoting this musical heritage. She’ll be giving a house concert this Thursday, August 24 at 7pm in Braintree, Vermont. Contact Beth at 802.728.6351 or email bethtelfordfiddle@gmail.com for tickets ..read more

On Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 7 pm, Richard Wood, the dynamic fiddle player from Prince Edward Island, will be performing at the Telford/Connor residence at 1060 Bent Hill Rd, Braintree, VT 05060. Don’t miss this chance to see Richard, with guitar player Keelin Wedge, in an intimate setting.  Tickets are $20 advance / $25 day of show. Checks should be made out to Richard Wood and mailed c/o Beth Telford to the address above. For info, contact Beth at 802-728-6351 or . Potluck dessert and beverages. For more than 30 years, Richard Wood has blown away sold out audiences around the ..read more

During the holiday season, they usually play the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, over and over and over again on one network or another. For many years, I’d watch my dad watch this movie over and over again wondering if it was really that good. And then one day I sat down and watched it with him. And yeah, it is that good. It’s about a community coming together to support each other, and it’s about the Christmas spirit, but mostly it’s about how even the littlest decisions we make can have a huge affect on the world around us. This morning I found out that multi-instrumentalist, Pete Sutherland ..read more