Why do we need Awards for fiddlers

In the words of top Australian fiddler and one of the masterminds of the Golden Fiddle Award, Marcus Holden, Australia is undergoing a quiet revolution in fiddle playing.

Marcus Holden	In an age where more hawkish pursuits demand media attention, Marcus and other fiddle fanatics, fellow player Andrew Clermont and fiddle manufacturer Mark Mitchell, decided to set up an awards system focused on nurturing, supporting and rewarding the wealth of talent that exists in Australia and New Zealand. Fiddlers of all ages and styles, composers, teachers and groups, will be invited to contest seven categories.

Andrew Clermont	“We want to embrace all musical styles and in so doing we will endeavour to unite fiddlers of all persuasions in one great common bond,” says Marcus. The growing popularity of violin playing in Australasia is in keeping with an international trend, which has not gone unnoticed by Managing Director of Epoch Stringed Instruments, Mark Mitchell.

Mark Mitchell	“We designed and manufactured our colour range of instruments about five years ago, and they have really taken off since we introduced our electric range to the Tamworth audience,” recalls Mark. “The five-string Epoch professional is now being played on stage by many of the country’s leading performers and this is helping to drive many young people towards the sheer fun of fiddling, with instruments which are easier to play that the traditional violin, and which make an individual fashion statement at the same time.

“We’ve been involved in the No Holds Barred Fiddle Contest in Tamworth for several years and are now delighted to join forces with these great fiddlers to do something inspiring for Australian music,” Mark added.

Entry forms are available through music websites, select music stores and venues in Tamworth with entries closing towards the end of October each year.

The first Golden Fiddle Awards were presented in Tamworth at the Tamworth Diggers RSL on Wednesday 19 January 2005, during the Fiddlers Festival Concert.

The Mission

For players, composers and teachers of classical, folk, rock, jazz, punk, celtic, country and bluegrass violin.

The first national awards system embracing all musical styles, which focuses on nurturing, supporting and rewarding the wealth of violin playing, performance and composing talent in Australia and New Zealand

The Awards

An explanation of the design and construction of these unique awards can be found by CLICKING HERE

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