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Thanks to all the Fiddle Hell friends who joined us at our 26th Fiddle Hell in November in Westford, MA

Fiddle Hell Online will be April 9-12, 2026, with 3 months free replays
180 hands-on workshops • 30 live concerts • 30 hosted jams
Tickets go on sale Jan 1 here, with early bird & other discounts

Fiddle Hell In-Person 2026 - date & location TBD

Thanks to Joni Lohr for wonderful Fiddle Hell photography!

FIddle Hell ONLINE, April 9-12, 2026

Quick summary

The eighth Fiddle Hell Online will be April 9-12, 2026. We're expecting 180 hands-on live workshops to learn from, 30 world-class live concerts to enjoy, and 30 artist-led live jam sessions to join on Zoom, for fiddle, mandolin, cello, guitar, banjo, & singing. That's 240 sessions! Other instruments and listeners are welcome, too.

Fiddle Hell artists -- experienced & supportive teachers, and wonderful & inspiring players -- will cover Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Cape Breton, East European, Electric, Irish, Jazz, Jazz Manouche, Klezmer, New Acoustic, New England, Old-Time Southern, Québécois, Scandinavian, Scottish, and Swing styles. Historical and technical workshops will be on the program in addition to tune and style learning. Workshops and jams are designed for Beginners, Low Intermediates, High Intermediates, and Advanced players, although you can attend and replay any sessions you like.

Fiddle Hell Online's inspiring and incredible sessions are a great value for players and listeners. Attending FHO is not only an amazing experience, it’s a way for you to support and connect with these wonderful teaching and performing artists. Attendees have said that their broad opportunities for learning (tunes, styles, instruments, techniques), gains in musical inspiration, and renewed connections with the community were priceless! Discounts are always provided for seniors and young musicians, and for early birds too. Scholarships based on financial need are available.

Attendance and participation at FHO are from your laptop, desktop, tablet, or phone. You'll be viewing live sessions (and replays) from a web browser or mobile app, using our convenient event software called "Whova." And you'll be able to replay videos of prior sessions for 3 months (can extend to 6 or 9 months), so you won't miss your favorite artists, workshop topics, jams, and performers. Optionally, you can access the FHO online community once you register, for discussions, messaging, virtual exhibitors, and technical help if you need it.

Discounts
20% discount for early birds (sign up by March 31). The earlier you sign up, the more chances to win giveaways.
10% discount for seniors, young adults, teens, kids, and ASTA members. Can be combined with early bird discount.
50% discount for add'l household members.
Sign up HERE beginning Jan 1, 2026.

Artists
We'll have more details at the end of January, but here's an updated sneak peek at some of the artists for April: Andrea Beaton, Andrew VanNorstrand, Andy Reiner, April Verch, Bruce Molsky, Darol Anger, Dave Reiner, Emily Schaad, Eric Eid-Reiner & Autumn Rose Lester, Éric Favreau, Eric Mrugala, Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones, George Wilson, Grant Gordy, Hanneke Cassel, Harry Bolick, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Jenna Moynihan, Joe Deninzon, Joe Zavaan Johnson, Joy Adams, Judy Hyman & Jeff Claus, Judy Minot, Karan Casey, Katie McNally, Kevin Burke, Maggie Shar, Marla Fibish, Nate Lee, Neil Pearlman, Ondra Kozák, Peter Schwarz, Rev. Robert Jones, Rose Clancy, Selma Kaplan, Tatiana Hargreaves, The Fiddle Hellions (Betsy Branch, Sue Songer, George Penk), Tom Morley, Tony Thomas.

Challenges
At Fiddle Hell, we’ve broadened our focus to the four biggest areas that can hold traditional musicians back — and offer practical, encouraging workshops and jams to help you move forward.

Musicianship Challenges – Take your musical skills, technique, and style to the next level
Thinking Challenges – Strengthen how you learn, remember, and understand tunes
Physical Challenges – Play comfortably, avoid injury, and play with less pain
Inspiration Challenges – Boost your joy, confidence, and connection to music

Whatever your instrument or experience, you’ll find Fiddle Hell Online (including replays) will you more confidence, less frustration, and a renewed sense of possibility.

Join the FH email list
Click HERE to join the Fiddle Hell email list.

Early bird giveaways

We're giving away a vintage inlaid violin to an early bird registrant who signs up by March 31, 2026. The earlier you sign up, the more chances you'll have to win the violin!

It's around 120 years old, likely from either the Saxony or Bavaria regions of Germany. From the photos, you can see the extensive inlays and beautiful rope bindings front and back. Fiddle Hell bought this instrument from luthier and musician Royce Burt, who carefully restored and regraduated it and set it up for sweetness, character, and complexity of tone; excellent projection; and easy playability. A good case is included although you'll have to provide your own bow. It's valued at about $2500 but the coolness factor is off the charts!

This vintage instrument will be given away at the Saturday Night Concert, April 11, 2026, at Fiddle Hell Online. You do not have to be present online at that concert to win.

Other early bird giveaways will be books, CDs, strings, online lessons, and pairs of great seats for three in-person concerts, including:
- Frigg at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Jan 30, 2026, 7PM
- Solas at Groton Hill Music Center, Groton, MA, Mar 1, 2026, 7PM
- Big Richard (with Joy Adams!) at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Mar 29, 2026, 8PM

Looking Back: FIddle Hell In-Person 2025

This was held in Westford, MA, Nov 13-16.

Please visit the Fiddle Hell Facebook group, Facebook page, Instagram channel, and YouTube channel (with jam videos & artist previews) by clicking on the links, or on the icons on the top or bottom of this page.

Click HERE to join the Fiddle Hell email list.

Early bird giveaways
At the Saturday Night Concert (Nov 15), Fiddle Hell gave away a vintage violin to an early bird registrant (Cate FitzPatrick). This fiddle was built by Norwegian maker Franz Hell around 100 years ago, and has his label inside, and his initials "FH" on the heel of the neck!
Other early bird giveaways were books, CDs, strings, Fiddler magazines, and online lessons.
We also gave away pairs of great seats for these 7 local concerts
- The Stillhouse Junkies at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Aug 5, 2025
- Big Richard (with Joy Adams!) at Shalin Liu Perf Ctr in Rockport, MA, Aug 16
- Bronwyn Keith-Hynes at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Aug 17
- Rev. Robert Jones at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Aug 23
- Eileen Ivers at the Groton Hill Music Center in Groton, MA, Sept 26
- The Hanneke Cassel Band at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Oct 6
- The Del McCoury Band at Groton Hill in Groton, MA, Oct 25

Photos: Label - Neck Button with Initials "FH" - Front
Stamp FH Initials on Neck Button

Front

CLICK to hear Andy Reiner play Connaughtman's Rambles on the Franz Hell Violin!

Welcome Statement

Fiddle Hell strives to be an actively inclusive and welcoming place for people of all racial groups, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities and/or expressions, sexual orientations, incomes, religions, and other identities. We value and embrace all forms of diversity among our staff and participants. In August 2020, we identified a number of areas where Fiddle Hell could improve with respect to racial justice, and we took taking steps to put these ideas into action. We were excited to offer workshops in 2020-2025 and continuing in the future that provide opportunities to learn about the contributions and roles of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the origins and evolution of the instruments, tunes, and styles we play. Please click here to read about these steps in our full Statement about Fiddle Hell and Racial Justice.

Fiddle Hell History

For 21 years, the Fiddle Hell Massachusetts Festival has been a yearly gathering of fiddlers, cellists, mandolin/guitar/banjo players, and singers to meet, jam, learn, listen, and have fun. It's both friendly and diverse, crossing all ages and including many traditional musical styles. To keep ourselves safe during the pandemic, we re-imagined Fiddle Hell as an online festival and music camp. We have enjoyed seven Fiddle Hell Onlines. Typically, there are about 10% beginners, 30% low intermediates, 35% high intermediates, and 25% advanced players, with many workshop and jam session choices at each level.

The invention of the late, great fiddler Dale Hopkins from Missouri, "Fiddle Hell" events have occurred in fun locations worldwide. Prior Fiddle Hells have been held in the US, the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany. Dale used the term "Fiddle Hell" to refer to the unique sound of many fiddlers playing a tune together. While Dale's two Fiddle Hell gatherings involved performances for the public as well as some informal sharing of tunes and techniques, Dave Reiner extended the concept to make the Fiddle Hell Massachusetts Festival more of a hands-on festival for all ages, with hundreds of scheduled workshops and jam sessions led by a wonderful group of experienced and supportive teaching artists, as well as many amazing concerts. The Fiddle Hell Massachusetts Festival and Fiddle Hell Online are now run by the Fiddle Hell Massachusetts LLC.

In 2019, we had 800+ musicians as attendees at the fifteenth Fiddle Hell Massachusetts, held at the Westford Regency Inn & Conference Center in Westford, MA. Participants came from as far away as Scotland, Germany, Canada, California, Alabama, Michigan, Texas and Florida, and from as near as Westford, MA, itself. They played and learned in many styles - New England, Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, Southern Old-TIme, Bluegrass, French Canadian, Jazz, Swing, Scandinavian, Klezmer, Blues, Electric, World, and more. Many tunes were taught, along with the stylistic details of the different traditions. In-depth workshops on techniques covered jamming, learning by ear, backing up singers, music theory, bowing patterns, improvisation, looping, and much more. Informal hallway jams in 9 "jam spots" were active through most of the day and night. For attendees, instructors, and staff, 2019 was a Fiddle Hell to remember!

In November, 2020, we held our first Fiddle Hell Online, with over 800 attendees. Without physical space limitations, we increased the number of concerts to 35, along with 35 jams and 170 workshops. While there were no hallway jams or in-person hugs with musical friends, attendees really appreciated "front-row" seats for all sessions, and the ability to replay all sessions (and even slow them down) for the next 3 months. We were excited to offer many more workshops that provided opportunities to learn about the contributions and roles of people of color in the origins and evolution of the instruments, tunes, and styles we play. In April, 2021, we held our second Fiddle Hell Online, with over 900 attendees. In November, 2021, the third FHO had over 800 attendees. In April, 2022, the fourth FHO was held, with lots of new instructors and sessions. In April, 2023, the fifth FHO was held and was fun for all, followed by the 6th FHO in Aprll, 2024 and the 7th FHO in April, 2025 with 3 months (can be extended to 6 or 9 months) of replays!

We re-started Fiddle Hell in-person in November, 2022, in Westford, MA, and enjoyed it again in November of 2023 and 2024 and 2025. Each time, more than 600 happy musicans gathered for concerts, workshops, and jams (guided and informal). Many tunes flew by, and it was great to be together in person. The Westford Regency location is being torn down, so 2026 in-person location, dates, and format are to be determined.

Common Tunes

To help with jams, to give players some common repertoire, and to encourage all to try out new styles, we introduced the "original" set of 52 common tunes in 2010, and added the "new" set of 52 more tunes in 2016. The New 52 were chosen based on your suggestions from the prior 4 years of FH surveys. Some of these 104 common tunes will be taught in workshops in November, and will likely show up in jams. These tunes are all listed here. We just call them the "Common Tune List" or "CTL" these days, without distinguishing which of the two lists tunes come from.

You can order an instructional 2-CD set of the 52 original Fiddle Hell common tunes, played both up-to-speed and slowly by the Reiner Family Band. Volume 1 is only $15 postpaid (within the US) in our online Store. Volume 1 is also available for download at Amazon.com here.

In 2017, the Reiner Family Band (and several talented friends) recorded a 2-CD set of the 52 new common tunes, played fast and slow. Volume 2 is also only $15 postpaid (within the US) in our online Store.

Order 52 Tunes CD

More Information

Fiddle Hell Online and the Fiddle Hell Massachusetts Festival are run by the Fiddle Hell Massachusetts LLC. Our events are loosely sponsored online by the Fiddle and Alternative Strings Forum and the Fiddle Hangout. At these websites, you'll find discussions, event listings, and other resources; you can join for free and read about past and future Fiddle Hell meetings.

Our long-time sponsors, D'Addario and CodaBow, have resumed giveaways at the in-person Fiddle Hells. You can read more about other sponsors in the Virtual Exhibits once you're registered.

We're working closely with Maine Fiddle Camp, Ashokan Camps, Northeast Heritage Music Camp, Creative Strings Workshop, Groton Hill Music Center, Strings Without Boundaries, Music Camps North, New England Folk Festival (NEFFA), Fiddleheads, Janie's Jumpstart Camps, Acadia Trad Camp, Boston States Fiddle Camp, Baltimore Old-Time Jam, Camp Calvin, Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RCSDS), Alasdair Fraser's Camps, Groton Hill Music Center, The Music Emporium, the David Surette Mandolin Festival, New Directions Cello Festival, Rob Flax Summer Strings Retreat, and Rustic Roots Camp on cross-promotion and best practices for teaching traditional styles in-person and online.

Thanks to Jenna Moynihan, frequent Fiddle Hell teaching artist, for the photo!