NOW BOOKING 2025 WEEKENDS: FEB 7-9, FEB 21-23
(School groups traveling by bus complete inquiry form | Local students may sign up here)
Fiddles in the Forest is a specialty residential field trip for young string players. It combines top-flight strings instruction with singing, dancing, nature hikes, and some very special hands-on crafts. Students learn fiddle tunes by ear on violin, viola, cello and bass, along with body percussion, harmony singing and fun, easy folk dances. Great melodies are taught along with rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment, and more advanced students get to explore multilevel ensemble arrangements with parts available for guitar, piano and other instruments. Team-building and community are an underlying theme at Fiddles In the Forest as students work and play together in the inspiring beauty of the natural world.
Classes & Activities:
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Fiddle Music for Orchestras
Learn traditional fiddle tunes and techniques on the fiddle, viola, cello, or bass from our talented guest instructors. This program is available as part of the Fiddles in the Forest experience. Watch the video.
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Folk Dance
Strengthen community while finding joy in traditional circle, square, and contra dancing. This program is available as part of the Fiddles in the Forest experience.
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Campfire (Evening Program)
Make warm s’mores and enjoy ann hour-long campfire experience with jokes, songs, and stories from the Ashokan staff. Larger groups may split in half, with the other half participating in another activity such as field games or star gazing (weather dependent). This is an optional evening program with no additional cost.
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Singing
Vocalize with guest instructors who know how to help you connect your musicality and feeling to your breath. This program is available as part of the Fiddles in the Forest experience. Watch the video.
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Body Percussion
Heighten your coordination and focus by synchronizing sound and movement as a group. This program is available as part of the Fiddles in the Forest experience. Watch the video.
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Hike to Cathedral Gorge
Hike through an old Eastern Hemlock forest along the Esopus Creek and explore the natural and social history of the region! The trail passes relics of the recent and prehistoric past, including a 19th-century water mill, a 130-year-old covered bridge, and a glacial gorge, before it ends at a 80-foot waterfall—the walls of which reveal … Read more
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Blacksmithing
The Ashokan Center is home to the first blacksmith shop and forge in Marble Town, Ulster County. Sparks will fly as students use ancient tools to hammer iron into a fire poker, trivet, or plant hanger under the guidance of our master craftspeople. Students will discuss concepts such as the role of blacksmithing in colonial … Read more
