Tyneside Fiddle Alliance

The Tyneside Fiddle Alliance is a group of fiddle players who meet to play the music of North-East England, folk tunes from elsewhere in the UK and from traditions beyond these islands. Our repertoire ranges from the local music of James Hill to wonderful recent compositions from further afield. We cater for players of all standards, from the beginner to the professional, although most of us are somewhere in between!

Thursday evenings – First and Third of the month, any Fifth Thursdays too.
6.30 – 8.30 pm
£8 per adult, U18 free – with reduced fee options available
St George’s Church Hall in Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2TF

We operate an “open door” policy and welcome fiddlers of all abilities, from competent beginners upwards, promoting a friendly, inclusive atmosphere in which musicians build a shared repertoire of local tunes and explore traditions from further afield. Since April 2023, Tyneside Fiddle Alliance has been housed in St George’s Church Hall in Jesmond, Newcastle and meets on the First, Thurs and any Fifth Thursdays of the month from 6.30 – 8.30 pm. We operate on a drop-in basis, meaning there is no commitment required and there is a pay on the door fee of £8 per adult. Juniors (under 18s) are very welcome to attend and there is no charge for juniors, but an adult responsible for them must be present throughout.

As a community group, fiddle players of a wide range of abilities are welcome to just drop in. Music is provided and we encourage participants to become familiar with the tunes and to play by ear. More accessible foundation lines as well as challenging harmony lines are used to engage players of all abilities. Each meeting costs £8, payable on the night. However, the aim of the group is to be accessible to all, so should the meeting cost be a barrier to joining, please get in touch as arrangements can be made.

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TFA Open Evening

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The Tyneside Fiddle Alliance meetings are led by an experienced group of leaders; Stewart Hardy, Chloe Jones, David Jones (three members of the highly acclaimed fiddle quartet, Bottle Bank Band who founded TFA in January 2011) and Ali Say who has been a TFA member since 2015, and we invite special guest tutors from time to time. We also encourage the playing of tunes in a session environment and hold an informal session from around 8.45 to 10 pm, continuing in St George’s Church Hall, with a requested charge of £3 to cover the extra hall hire.

We strive to support traditional music in the North East and this often involves participating in the traditional music festivals throughout the year, either through entering group competitions or by performing in concerts. Our Annual Concert in November and is a key event in our calendar. However, no-one should feel they have to perform – it’s all just for fun!

TFA Celebration Evening in St Mary’s Heritage Centre, 30th March 2023