Darol Anger is a legend of contemporary fiddling. His progressive multidimensional playing has influenced generations of forward-thinking bluegrass, jazz, and rock violinists. He was first person to hold the fiddle chair in the David Grisman Quintet, and he was a founding member of Montreux, Turtle Island String Quartet, the Duo (with Mike Marshall), and his own visionary string group the Republic of Strings. He is also a pioneer of “the chop,” a rhythmic accompaniment style that he and Peghead Nation fiddle instructor Brittany Haas discuss in her Fiddle Styles Workshop segment with Darol. In this video, they demonstrate their backup approaches with a great two-fiddle version of Bill Monroe’s song “My Rose of Old Kentucky.” Darol’s five-string fiddle was made by Nathaniel Rowan in 2010 and is named Hal, after the main character in 2001: A Space Odyssey. The fiddle is a work of art with some unusual decorative touches, including, on the back, a large red eyeball, a black pyramid, and a blue “cloud of unknowing.” darolanger.com

In Peghead Nation’s Fiddle Styles Workshop, Brittany hosts some of the best fiddlers on the planet, as they teach some of their favorite tunes and techniques. To learn from Brittany and her guests, enroll in the Fiddle Styles Workshop today.

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