Vidar teaches both workshops and private lessons in fiddle/violin, Harding-fiddle, mandolin, and guitar. Besides technique and mastering the instrument, he also teaches traditional Scandinavian folk music styles, breaking down ornaments and their functions, how to approach double-stops, among other aspects of traditional tunes and how to perform them. He also works with any melodic instrument and ensembles.
Zoom and Skype lessons are possible.
For teaching inquiry and more information, please reach out to vidar.skrede[a]gmail.com.
Students’ reviews:
“I’ve had many teachers in my life, and Vidar Skrede is hands down the best. As an instructor, he embodies a unique combination of highly analytical and highly empathic. His depth of thought and knowledge about the musical issues allows him to drill down through many layers, during a lesson, expanding one’s knowledge and awareness. At the same time, he can personally relate to the challenges of performance expectations, and adopts a holistic approach to these. Positive and encouraging, yet also honest, he is nurturing and also adaptable to the different pedagogical needs of his students. For issues related to posture and stance, he takes the long view of patience over time, with gentle prods along the way. Most amazing is how he can deep-dive one into something like the Rabbit Hole from Alice in Wonderland: you go deeper and deeper, into a tune or an issue, and then magically resurface with an entirely new understanding of not just the tune, but of other, deeper, musical sensibilities as well. Vidar is both philosophical in his approach, and takes you where you are, at any given moment.”
Drue, Minnesota, US – harding-fiddle
“There are lots of fine trad musicians in the world. Very few can lead students to make progress as musicians, not just accumulate more tunes. Vidar is one of those rare players who can teach every bit as well as they can play. Working with Vidar is a great mixture of learning tunes, and how to bring those tunes alive so listeners want to dance, and I look forward to my practice time. His patience and skill have made a wonderful difference in my playing!”
Teresa, California, US – fiddle