Bethel Youth Fiddle Camp
Sunday, June 8, 2025 – Friday, June 13, 2025
Bethel, Missouri
The Bethel Youth Fiddle Camp, founded in 1988 by the Historic Bethel German Colony and the Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers Association, is the longest-running youth fiddle camp in the United States. Nestled in the picturesque hamlet of Bethel, Missouri, this annual event has become a beloved tradition for young musicians passionate about Missouri old-time fiddle music.
Open to all skill levels, the camp offers a rare chance to learn from some of the most respected fiddlers in the Midwest. Instructors over the years have included influential musicians such as Nile Wilson, Pete McMahan, Vesta Johnson, Taylor McBaine, Charlie Walden, Herman Johnson, Liz Amos, Jim Lansford, John White, Pete Howard, Bob Holt, Thomas Coriell, Kenny Applebee, John P. Williams, Tim Murray, Amber Gaddy, David Cavins, Johnny Bruce, Fred Stoneking, Robert Mackey, Dwight Lamb, and many others who have shared their knowledge and love for traditional Missouri fiddle tunes during the camp’s nearly four-decade run.
Participants engage in structured workshops, one-on-one instruction, lively jam sessions, and nightly square dance instruction. These experiences not only enhance their musical skills but also foster a deep appreciation for the relationship between fiddle music and dance.
In addition to passing down traditional tunes and musicianship, the Bethel Youth Fiddle Camp plays a vital role in strengthening the old-time community. The friendships formed at camp and sustained throughout the year are just as essential as the music itself, because you can’t have tradition without community. The camp ensures that the rich legacy of Missouri old-time fiddle music continues to thrive, passed down through both the music and the lasting relationships built within this vibrant community.
Learn more at the Missouri State Old-time Fiddlers site.
The Fiddle Tradition with the Columbia Civic Orchestra
Sunday, February 23, 2025 • 7:30 p.m.
Missouri Theatre, Columbia, Mo.
Experience the worldwide tradition of fiddling with music from Norway, Ireland, and Missouri. Amy Beach extends this tradition by integrating English, Irish, and Scottish melodies into her Gaelic Symphony.
Norwegian music for hardanger fiddle featuring Siri Geenen
Missouri fiddle tunes featuring Howard Marshall, Kathy Gordon and Heinrich Leonhard
Irish music for fiddle and guitar featuring Tim and Jesse Langan
Amy Beach: Symphony in E Minor, “Gaelic”
Free to attend!
Adult Fiddle Camp in Bethel, Missouri
Wednesday, October 9, 2024 – Saturday, October 12, 2024
Bethel, Missouri
Adult fiddle camp allows fiddlers age 18 and over to study with master fiddlers to learn new tunes, build a network of fiddler friends, and work on perfecting technique. Camp offers an opportunity to connect with Missouri’s unique local fiddle tradition through working with masters who have learned directly from fiddlers in their communities.
Who Is This Camp For?
- Fiddlers of all levels from confident beginners through advanced students. All fiddlers should be able to tune their instruments and play simple tunes.
- Students who want to improve their ear-learning skills.
- Fiddlers that would like to increase their repertoire of fiddle tunes or comfort level when playing with others. We won’t be working on bluegrass, country, swing or improvisational skills, but will focus on old-time fiddle styles.
- Fiddlers who want to learn to play for dances or improve their dance fiddling.
- Guitar, banjo, piano players and other accompanists are welcome.
Logisitics
- Lodging is provided in the rooming quarters above the Bethel Fest Hall (rooms with shared bathrooms, up a flight of stairs). If numbers require, we may expand into another lodging house in Bethel.
- Meals are provided at the Bethel Fest Hall with daily salad bars and excellent cafe food.
- During the camp, we have small group classes, larger sessions and evening jam sessions. We gather on Wednesday evening and depart Saturday by noon, generally.
For more information contact John Williams. Download the registration form.
Youth Fiddle Camp in Bethel, Mo
Sunday, June 9, 2024 – Friday, June 14, 2024
Bethel, Missouri
Youth camp is the prime opportunity for aspiring young fiddlers to perfect technique and learn tunes of Missouri Style fiddling. Individual lessons daily set this camp apart from other group camp settings. Dance is a big part of the Bethel camp where all campers learn to dance old-fashioned square dances and have the opportunity to learn to call the dances if they choose to do so. Tuition is ~$375 and includes meals and lodging. For more information or to register, contact Wendy Bumbaugh at 573-822-9498.
“Keep It Old-Time:” Fiddle Music in Missouri from the 1960s Folk Music Revival to the Present
Thursday, November 30, 2023 • 6:30
The State Historical Society of Missouri, 605 Elm Street, Columbia, Missouri
For centuries, the violin has been both a “people’s instrument” as well as a “palace” instrument that spans the globe. Whether called “violin” or “fiddle” (they are the same, just with differing customs of learning and performance), it continues to be enjoyed across many different traditions and communities.
Howard Marshall, professor emeritus and former director of the Missouri Cultural Heritage Center at the University of Missouri, will offer examples of traditional fiddle music in Missouri today and will share the history and people behind the music. Marshall, himself a fiddler, will be joined by Richard Shewmaker (violin), Amber Gaddy (violin), Jim Ruth (five-string banjo), David Cavins (guitar), Asher Ferguson (penny whistle), and Kathy Gordon (bass). The program will include a set of Irish fiddle tunes by Jim Ruth (violin), Linda Shumate (concertina), and Heinrich Leonhard (guitar), mainstays of the Irish music scene in Columbia.
Marshall’s new book, published by University of Missouri Press, Keep It Old-Time: Fiddle Music in Missouri from the 1960s Folk Music Revival to the Present, is the third in his fiddle history trilogy. The book, along with a companion CD of music by 36 fiddlers, is available in the Richard Bookstore inside the Center for Missouri Studies, and other bookshops.
The event is free to the public and is sponsored by the State Historical Society of Missouri and University of Missouri Press.
HOBA’s 39th Annual Fall Bluegrass Festival
Thursday, September 21, 2023 – Saturday, September 23, 2023
HOBA campround, West Plains, MO Map
From the organizer: A great little bluegrass festival in the beautiful Ozark hills of south central Missouri hosted by the Heart of Ozark Bluegrass Association (HOBA). Stage shows 7 p.m. Thursday night, 7 p.m. Friday night. 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon. 7 p.m. Saturday night. Jamming. RV hookups. Hot showers. Concessions. Shade trees. Family friendly. No illegal drugs, alcohol, or recreational cannabis. Admission is $5 to $25. Get more details at the HOBA site.
If you have questions, contact the Ozark Welcome Center at tourism [at] westplains [dot] gov or by calling 417-256-8835.
HOBA’s 40th Annual Spring Bluegrass Festival
Thursday, June 1, 2023 – Saturday, June 3, 2023
HOBA campround, West Plains, MO Map
From the organizer: A great little bluegrass festival in the beautiful Ozark hills of south central Missouri hosted by the Heart of Ozark Bluegrass Association (HOBA). Stage shows 7 p.m. Thursday night, 7 p.m. Friday night. 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon. 7 p.m. Saturday night. Jamming. RV hookups. Hot showers. Concessions. Shade trees. Family friendly. No illegal drugs, alcohol, or recreational cannabis. Admission is $5 to $25. Get more details at the HOBA site.
If you have questions, contact the Ozark Welcome Center at tourism [at] westplains [dot] gov or by calling 417-256-8835.
Youth Fiddle Camp in Bethel, Mo
Sunday, June 11, 2023 – Friday, June 16, 2023
Bethel, Missouri
Youth camp is the prime opportunity for aspiring young fiddlers to perfect technique and learn tunes of Missouri Style fiddling. Individual lessons daily set this camp apart from other group camp settings. Dance is a big part of the Bethel camp where all campers learn to dance old-fashioned square dances and have the opportunity to learn to call the dances if they choose to do so. Tuition is ~$375 and includes meals and lodging. For more information or to register, contact Wendy Bumbaugh at 573-822-9498.
Adult Fiddle Camp in Bethel, Missouri
Wednesday, October 11, 2023 – Saturday, October 14, 2023
Bethel, Missouri
Adult fiddle camp allows fiddlers age 18 and over to study with master fiddlers to learn new tunes, build a network of fiddler friends, and/or perfect technique. For more information or to register, contact Wendy Brumbaugh at 573-822-9498 or John Williams.
Missouri’s Fiddle Heritage: A Concert with Geoffrey Seitz
Thursday, November 17, 2022 • 6:30pm (happy hour at 5:30pm)
Missouri History Museum in St. Louis
Join violinmaker and award-winning fiddler Geoffrey Seitz at the Missouri History Museum for a concert celebrating Missouri’s long fiddle tradition. From the early French settlers along the Mississippi River to the British and Scotch Irish in the Ozarks to Native American and African American musicians, the fiddle has been at the root of the state’s musical culture, and countless songs have been handed down through generations. Seitz, with accompaniment by Jim Nelson and Dedo Norris, will share classic fiddle tunes and demonstrate the different regional styles that comprise Missouri’s fiddle heritage.
For more information, contact Emily Underwood via email or call 314-494-2674.