The Ultimate Guide to Adult Fiddle and Violin Camps

Attending an adult fiddle camp is one of the best ways to motivate your playing. Adult camps for fiddle or violin usually offer workshops, classes, jam sessions, performances, dances, and ensemble playing over a few days or weekends.

You don’t have to be an expert player to attend these adult camps. Unless otherwise noted, all of these adult music camps are great for people of all ages and skill levels, from beginner to advanced players!

However, while some camps do offer courses for brand new beginners, you probably do want to show up with some basic skills. And by basic skills I mean being able to bow and produce a decent sound and being familiar with left hand notes and basic finger patterns. The more fundamentals you know beforehand, the more you will get out of the camp. But don’t worry, if you’re not ready, I can help!

Whether you love fiddle, Celtic, gypsy jazz, classical, Scandinavian, Cajun, or any other style of playing, there’s a camp for you!

In this directory, you’ll find a list of adult fiddle camps and adult classical violin camps, their locations, the style of playing they focus on, and the general time period in which they occur.

Locations vary wildly, but most adult music camps occur in idyllic locations, like the redwood forests of California, beautiful Nova Scotia, or even fiddling sailing trips around the coast of Scotland.

Start packing your bags, get your violin ready, and enjoy browsing my ultimate guide to adult fiddle and violin camps!

Or skip ahead!

Adult Fiddle and Violin Camps in Canada

Adult Fiddle Camps in the United Kingdom

Adult Fiddle and Violin Camps in Europe

Virtual Adult Fiddle Camps

Adult Fiddle Camps by Famous Fiddlers


Adult Fiddle and Violin Camps By State



Alabama



Alabama Folk School

About: Various workshops and retreats focusing on old-time music and crafts.

Date Range: Varies

Style: Old Time

Location: Nauvoo, Alabama

https://campmcdowell.org/dates-rates



California



California Bluegrass Association Summer Music Camps

About: Jams, classes, concerts, and dances.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Bluegrass

Location: Grass Valley, California

https://californiabluegrass.org/summer_music_camp/smc-home/



Julian Family Fiddle Camp

About: Acoustic music camp for people of all ages and musical abilities. Located at a rural retreat near a historic mining town.

Date Range: May

Style: Appalachian and Bluegrass

Location: Julian, California

https://californiabluegrass.org/cbaevent/julian-family-fiddle-camp/



Lark Camp

About: Learn traditional styles from all over the world.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Traditional

Location: Mendocino Woodlands, California

https://www.larkcamp.org



SoCal Chamber Music Workshops

About: One week workshop for adult amateur chamber musicians. Great for intermediate or advanced players.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Classical chamber music

Location: Claremont, California

https://www.socalchambermusic.com



Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddling School

About: Alasdair Fraser’s Scottish fiddle camp in the redwood forests of Northern California.

Date Range: August

Style: Scottish fiddling

Location: Boulder Creek, California

http://www.valleyofthemoon.org



Colorado



Colorado Roots Music Camp

About: Multiple camps with small class sizes featuring a wide variety of styles.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Varies but include bluegrass, folk, blues, swing, Irish, and more.

Location: Divide, Colorado

https://www.rmmc.org/roots/



Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp

About: Daily fiddle classes, contra and square dances, jam sessions, concerts, and opportunities to hike and swim.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Varies but includes Old Time fiddle, Cape Breton, Klezmer and many other styles

Location: Golden Bell Camp, Colorado

https://www.rmfiddle.com



Florida



Florida Fiddlers Convention

About: Workshops, jams, concerts, string band contest, and a homemade pie contest!

Date Range: October

Style: Fiddle

Location: Keystone Heights, Florida

https://flafiddlers.wordpress.com



Kansas



Sunflower Ragtime Orchestra

About: Rehearse and perform popular orchestral music of the early 1900s with other adult amateur musicians.

Date Range: Summer (2 Sessions)

Style: Ragtime, Orchestra

Location: Olathe, Kansas

https://www.musicsmiths.net/sro



Medieval Music Sumer Camp

About: Explore the music of the 12th and 13th centuries on period instruments.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Medieval

Location: Metropolitan Conservatory, Overland Park, Kansas

https://www.metropolitanconservatorykc.com/medievalmusiccamp



Heartland Chamber Adult Workshop

About: A four-day workshop where you are coached on chamber music by members of the Kansas City Symphony.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Classical chamber music

Location: Prairie Village, Kansas

https://www.heartlandchambermusic.org/adultworkshop



Kentucky



Cowan Creek Mountain Music Festival

About: Classes, jam sessions, and dancing for adults and kids in the beautiful Appalachian mountains of eastern Kentucky.

Date Range: Last week in June

Style: Kentucky mountain music

Location: Whitesburg, Kentucky

http://cowancreekmusic.org



Louisiana



Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week

About: Immersive, multi-day lessons, workshops, and dances including instruction on Louisiana music, crafts, and cooking.

Date Range: March

Style: Cajun and Creole

Location: Eunice, Louisiana

https://lafolkroots.org



Maine



Maine Fiddle Camp

About: Workshops, dances, jam sessions for all ages and levels. Several sessions offered.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Traditional

Location: Camp NEOFA, Montville, Maine

https://www.mainefiddlecamp.org



Massachusetts



Country Dance and Song Society

About: Connecting people through the traditions of English Country Dance, contra, and square dance and the music that is an integral part of those traditions.

Date Range: Varies, but mostly Summer

Style: Varies

Location: Virtual and Various Locations in Massachusetts, Maine, and Michigan

https://cdss.org



Minnesota



Bluff Country Gathering

About: Fiddle workshops (and other instruments), concerts, and dances.

Date Range: May

Style: Traditional American Music

Location: Spring Grove, MN

http://www.boveeheil.com/bluff-country-gathering.htm



Adult Chamber Music Retreat

About: A six-day retreat for classical music enthusiasts. For intermediate players or community orchestra members.

Date Range: June

Style: Classical chamber music

Location: Grand Rapids, Minnesota

https://www.thirdcoastchambercollective.com/projects/chamber-camp



Montana



Montana Fiddle Camp

About: Multiple camps on the old-time music tradition in the Little Belt mountains of Montana.

Date Range: May/June

Style: Varies by camp, but includes fiddle and Western swing and more

Location: Monarch, Montana

https://www.montanafiddlecamp.org



New Hampshire



Fiddleheads Jam Camp

About: Jam Camp offers guided jams with focus on jamming essentials and techniques - hearing chords, backup, playing in different styles, soloing and having fun!

Date Range: September

Style: From blues to bluegrass, jigs to jazz, cajun to country and more!

Location: Coontoocook, New Hampshire

https://www.fiddleheadscamp.com



New York



The Ashokan Center Music and Dance Camps

About: Jay Unger and Molly Mason’s famous fiddle camp. Various styles of camps held in the serene setting of the Catskill Mountains.

Date Range: Varies

Style: Camps vary but include such styles as bluegrass, Western Swing, Scottish, and Zydeco just to name a few.

Location:

https://ashokancenter.org/camps/



Catskills Irish Arts Week

About: Classes, workshops, dances, and concerts featuring a variety of Irish instruments.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Irish Fiddling

Location: East Durham, New York

https://www.catskillsirishartsweek.com



Scor! String Experiences for Adults

About: Various camps with a focus on ensemble-playing.

Date Range: Varies

Style: Varies: classical and fiddle.

Location: Canandaigua, New York (Finger Lakes Region), and various other places around the U.S.

https://www.scorstrings.com/pages/in-person-events



North Carolina



Blue Ridge Music Week

About: Daily classes for fiddle (and other old time instruments), jam sessions, and concerts.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Old Time Fiddle

Location: Mars Hill, NC

https://www.brotmw.org



John C. Campbell Folk School

About: Year-round weeklong and weekend classes for adults in craft, art, music, dance, and more. Small-sized campus on a scenic 270-acre campus.

Date Range: Varies

Style: Varies

Location: Brasstown, North Carolina

https://www.folkschool.org



Jink and Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling

About: Multiple sessions on Scottish fiddling in the mountains of North Carolina.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Scottish fiddling

Location: Banner Elk, North Carolina

http://www.fiddletree-music.com



The Swannanoa Gathering

About: Various week-long programs in various forms of folk music and dance.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Varies by camp

Location: Swannanoa Valley, near Asheville, North Carolina

https://swangathering.com



North Dakota



International Music Camp/ Adult Community Camps

About: A four-day camp for string orchestra.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Classical Orchestra

Location: International Peace Garden, North Dakota/Manitoba

https://internationalmusiccamp.com/programs-and-sessions/music/adult-community-camps/



Ohio



Ohio Scottish Arts School

About: Classes in Scottish Arts of fiddle, harp, highland dance, pipes, and drums

Date Range: Summer

Style: Scottish Fiddle

Location: Berea, Ohio

https://ohioscottishartsschool.com



Oklahoma



Jana Jae Fiddle Camp and Music Festival

About: Individual and group sessions for all ages and levels.

Date Range: Labor Day Weekend

Style: Fiddle

Location: Grove, Oklahoma

https://www.grandlakefestivals.com/fiddle_camp.htm



Pennsylvania



Folk College

About: A weekend of folk music workshops and concerts.

Date Range: May

Style: Folk

Location: Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

https://folkcollege.com



Tennessee



Nashville Acoustic Camps

About: Small size fiddle camps by Megan Lynch Chowning.

Date Range: Varies

Style: Old Time Fiddle

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

https://www.nashvilleacousticcamps.com



Texas



Acoustic Music Camp

About: Learn banjo, mandolin, guitar, & bass with the The Tennessee Bluegrass Band. Learn to pick, jam, and have fun.

Date Range: April (in Conjunction with the Bluegrass Heritage Festival)

Style: Bluegrass

Location: Dallas, TX

https://acousticmusiccamp.com



Live Oak Fiddle Camp

About: Advanced fiddle and guitar instruction on a working cattle ranch.

Date Range: May

Style: Various Fiddle styles

Location: Hallettesville, Texas

https://liveoakfiddlecamp.com



Camp Bluegrass

About: A six-day camp with a focus on individual skills and slow jams.

Date Range: July

Style: Bluegrass

Location: Levelland, Texas

https://campmcdowell.org/dates-rates



Vermont



Northeast Heritage Music Camp

About: A welcoming camp community in the hills of Vermont for a week of traditional music immersion open to all instruments.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Music traditions of New England and eastern Canada along with related traditions from around the world.

Location: Starksboro, Vermont

http://www.northeastheritagemusiccamp.com



Washington



Cascadia Irish Music Week

About: A yearly gathering of learners and teachers of Irish traditional music and culture.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Irish

Location: Olympia, WA

https://www.cascadiairish.org/home



Fiddle Tunes

About: It’s a week-long, total-immersion workshop with a hallmark of presenting an expansive array of fiddle styles from specific geographic regions of the world.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Varied styles with a focus on fiddle

Location: Port Townsend, Washington

https://centrum.org/program/fiddle-tunes/



West Virgina



Allegheny Echoes

About: Celebration of Appalachian culture and heritage through old time music classes and outdoor activities in the heart of the mountains.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Bluegrass

Location: Marlinton, WV

http://www.alleghenyechoes.com/location



Wisconsin



Hardanger Fiddle Music and Dance Summer Workshops

About:  Intensive Hardanger fiddle and Norwegian dance classes, concerts, culture sessions, and evening parties.

Date Range: July

Style: Hardanger fiddle

Location: Dodgeville, Wisconsin

https://www.hfaa.org



Haugaard’s West Denmark Fiddle School

About: Classes, singing, and dancing.

Date Range: June

Style: Scandinavian and Anglo/Celtic music

Location: West Denmark, Wisconsin

https://www.wdfiddleschool.org



Adult Fiddle and Violin Camps in Canada


Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Time Music Camp

About: An all-ages music camp prior to the annual Northern Lights Music Festival.

Date Range: August

Style: Bluegrass and Old Time

Location: Ness Creek, Saskatchewan

https://northernlightsbluegrass.com/music-camp/




SOAR: String Orchestra for Adults Retreat

About: An orchestra camp for adult beginners and intermediate players.

Date Range: August

Style: Classical string orchestra

Location: New Denver, British Columbia

https://www.valhallafinearts.org/site/adult-string-orchestra/




The Gaelic College

About: Year-round programming in the culture, music, language, crafts, customs, and traditions of the immigrants from the Highlands of Scotland. Offers students of all ages and skill levels instruction in Gaelic culture and music.

Date Range: Varies

Style: Cape Breton

Location: St. Ann’s Nova Scotia

https://gaeliccollege.edu




International Music Camp/ Adult Community Camps

About: A four-day camp for string orchestra.

Date Range: Summer

Style: Classical Orchestra

Location: International Peace Garden, North Dakota/Manitoba

https://internationalmusiccamp.com/programs-and-sessions/music/adult-community-camps/


Adult Fiddle and Violin Camps in the United Kingdom


Sessions and Sail

About: Scottish sailing trips aboard a tall ship that feature traditional music workshops, sessions, and ceilidhs along the way.

Date Range: Varies

Style: Varies by sailing trip but includes Scottish fiddling, song writing, and bluegrass sailing trips.

Location: Most voyages start from Oban, Scotland

https://sessionsandsail.com/home

Fèis Glenn Albainn

About: A long weekend on the shores of Loch Ness to develop skills in song, dance, and traditional music.

Date Range: February

Style: Scottish

Location: Fort Augustus, Scotland

http://www.feisgleannalbainn.co.uk

Fèis Rois Adult Féis

About: A three day retreat catering to all abilities, from beginner to advanced. No previous knowledge of traditional music required. Violins are even provided for beginning classes!

Date Range: May

Style: Scottish

Location: Ullapool, Scotland

https://feisrois.org/residential-feisan/adult-feis/

Blazin in Beauly

About: A workshop run by Blazin Fiddle with various class options from “Gently Paced” to “Super Advanced”

Date Range: October

Style: Scottish

Location: Beauly, Scotland

https://blazininbeauly.com

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig

About: Various camps and short courses held at the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture

Date Range: Varies

Style: Scottish

Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland

https://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/short-courses/?lang=en

Adult Fiddle and Violin Camps in Europe

Scandia Camp Mendocino

About: Dance, music, and more!

Date Range: Summer

Style: Scandinavian

Location: Norway and Sweden

http://www.scandiacampmendocino.org



Sore Fingers Summer School

About: Europe’s leading organization for Bluegrass and Old Time Music Camps.

Date Range: October and Easter

Style: Bluegrass

Location: Kingham, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

https://www.sorefingers.co.uk



Grappelli Django Summer Camp

About: A long weekend of workshops and jam sessions hosted by some of the world’s most famous Gypsy jazz musicians.

Date Range: August/September

Style: Gypsy jazz

Location: The Netherlands

https://www.grappellidjangocamp.com



Virtual Adult Fiddle and Violin Camps


Fiddle Hell

About: Online workshops, concerts, and jams.

Date Range: April

Style: Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Cape Breton, East European, Electric, Irish, Jazz, Jazz Manouche, Klezmer, Latin, Mexican, New Acoustic, New England, Old-Time Southern, Québécois, Scandinavian, Scottish, and Swing styles. 

Location: Online

https://www.fiddlehell.org




Adult Camps By Famous Fiddlers

These camps and workshops are led by well-known performing fiddlers and violinists. Locations and dates vary as many musicians hold workshops around the world. Check the musician’s webpage for more information.




Alasdair Fraser Camps and Workshops

Date Range: Varies

Style: Scottish Fiddle

Location: Varies

https://alasdairfraser.com/camps-workshops/




O’Connor Method String Camp

About: Mark O’Connor’s music instruction camp based on the O’Connor Method.

Date Range: Summer

Style: American traditional music

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

https://oconnormethodstringcamp.com