The Future of Folk Music is in Great Hands

My day job is teaching radiology to residents and fellows. This educational model of young whippersnappers learning from the geezers is also pretty common in the world of fiddle music.

It's a huge pleasure to see young radiologists and young musicians coming into their powers, especially when one sees them making diagnoses or playing tunes that even the geezers find challenging.

This was definitely true last week at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. It was hard to hear some of the young musicians play without feeling like a giant truck was coming up fast in my rearview mirror. Here are two examples of the many talented teens at Fiddle Tunes:

First, listen to Emma Beaton (cello) and Tatiana Hargreaves (fiddle) play the living heck out of this old fiddle tune...



Finally, watch the 204 Trio, with Lea Kirstein (cello), Scott Leach (fiddle), and Ethan Jodziewicz (bass) play their arrangement of Liz Carroll's tune: "Lost in the Loop".



I'd say that the future of folk music is in great hands...