“Not content with watching the singers and horn players get together, the string players from Ballarat Symphony, Ballarat Grammar, Melbourne and Adelaide Scottish Fiddlers and Goldfields Fiddles have come under the spell of the magical Haas sisters and have joined forces thanks to support from Ballarat City Council. This will be a mighty outpouring of strings – some lush, some jaunty – all good readers with a CresFest ticket are welcome to join us.”

About the project & rehearsals

Ballarat and district string players are invited to take part in a fantastic opportunity to meet and learn from two of the most respected folk string players in the world today, sisters Natalie (cello) and Brittany (fiddle) Haas. The opportunity includes the following, and participants will receive a free day ticket to CresFest Saturday 11 April, enabling you to enjoy the rest of the day.

BALLARAT WORKSHOP 1 – BAND HALL BARKLY STREET – THURSDAY 9 APRIL – Gather from 5:30pm – play until 7:30pm followed by light dinner

Working with Ballarat Symphony string players and their conductor, cellist Luke Severn, to run through the three written arrangements and teach the stramash tunes by ear

BALLARAT WORKSHOP 2 – WENDOUREE P.A.C. – FRIDAY 10 APRIL – 

Gather at 9:30am –  play till 12 midday followed by light lunch

Working with players self selected from BSO, Melbourne and Adelaide Scottish Fiddle Clubs, Ballarat Grammar and other Ballarat secondary schools, with local fiddlers to run through the three written arrangements and teach some chopping and chording techniques as well as teaching the stramash tunes by ear

THE BIG STRING THING REHEARSAL – SATURDAY 11 APRIL –  MASONIC LOWER HALL ALBERT STREET CRESWICK – Rehearsal runs strictly 2pm- 3pm

A gathering of everyone interested in the concert to rehearse all items 

About the concert

THE BIG STRING THING CONCERT – SATURDAY 11 APRIL – CRESWICK TOWN HALL Concert runs from 9:30pm- 10:15pm

EXPECTED RUN ORDER (TBC)

9:30 15 minutes Haas Sisters as duo

9:45 10 minutes Melbourne and Adelaide Scottish Fiddle Club item/s

9:55 15 minutes – full group plays 3 written arrangements 

10:10 5 minutes – all in fiddle stramash by agreement with MSFC – ear tunes

WANT TO BE PART OF IT, BUT NOT IN ONE OF THE LISTED GROUPS?

Tell your teacher or simply email info@cresfest.com.au and we’ll point you in the right direction.