Fun Fiddle is a community music project based at The Wash House in the heart of Portobello, Edinburgh.
Adult fiddle classes,
Children’s lessons,
workshops and events and much more!
Find Out More!
Founded by Jenny Gardner and now led by Gica Loening, with much input from Fun Fiddlers themselves, we have grown to become a strongly entrenched community of fiddle friends of all ages and stages in and around Portobello over the last twenty one years. In 2017 we were nominated for Community Project of the Year at The Trad Arts Awards. Fun Fiddle has collaborated over the years with street bands, choirs, drummers, and bands, contributing a vibrant energy to the East Edinburgh locality.
‘Fun Fiddle is as inclusive as it is successful. Some of the players are very accomplished, some beginners; all are welcome in an enterprise that is fully and warmly embedded in its local community. I remind myself frequently that I am astonishingly lucky to have such a thing happening just down the road.’ (Michael)
‘It’s great to have the opportunity to play with a group of enthusiastic musicians lead by outstanding teachers. I especially enjoy playing at local events and watching everyone dancing to our music. It’s also fantastic therapy: I feel as high as a kite after each session.’ (David)
‘What I have loved over the last year has been playing with other people on a Thursday evening. As well as practicing this offers opportunities for listening to each other and I think improves how we play together! Our anniversary ceilidh at the Wash House was fabulous fun. Can’t believe how long we have been going. Playing in the community has been great; at the Towerbank ceilidh, Mentone Street party and the Porty Market! I have, and continue to, build warm and lovely friendships with people. It has also been so lovely to welcome new people who want to play; the young people joining us and the new beginners as well as more experienced players. (Loraine)
Fun Fiddle supports students to:
- Learn by ear
- Play together in a group
- Build up a shared repertoire of tunes
- Learn technique and traditional idiom
- Perform at informal gatherings and community events
“I learnt to play by ear, enjoyed playing together, met new people. It encourages me to practice at home regularly.”
“It has been great to get a taste of different genres of music with such good teachers!”
Fun Fiddle started as a small informal group of adult learners in 2003. We celebrated 21 years in 2024!
“I enjoyed meeting a lovely group of people and being able to learn the fiddle locally”
“It built my confidence”
“It’s been great to meet other students and to learn some skills in fiddle playing and some new tunes”
“Thank you, it’s been fun, friendly and made learning a new instrument feasible”