Teacher Profiles

U.S. Grand Master Fiddle Champion, Daniel Carwile has competed in virtually every major fiddle competition in the United States. He has been crowned the Tennessee Valley Old-Time Fiddlers Convention "Fiddle King" an amazing 7 times. Other conquests include Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee State Championships as well as Lake Superior, North Cascades, ...

As Chair of Berklee College of Music’s String Department, Dr. David Wallace enjoys leading the foremost contemporary and eclectic string program in higher education.  Previously, David served as a Juilliard professor for fourteen years, and a New York Philharmonic Teaching Artist for seventeen years. Join Talent Forge and learn from David ...

Starting on fiddle at age 12, Justin began his musical journey by learning Texas/contest style fiddling and competing in fiddle contests around the country. During this time he was heavily influenced by the fiddling of Benny Thomasson, Terry Morris, Orville Burns, Louis Franklin, and other greats of Texas style fiddling, as well as bluegrass legends...

Matthew Hartz  holds a unique position in roots and americana music. From an early age, his ear was bent toward old time fiddle masters including Benny Thomasson, Texas Shorty and Terry Morris. Attending local, regional and national level fiddle contests enabled Matthew to hone his skills and learn directly from these legends. One of Matthew’s gr...

Michael Schaefer is a Colorado native and a 1969 graduate of Poudre High School in Fort Collins. He studied undergraduate and graduate conducting with Wilfred Schwartz and earned a Bachelor’s in Music Education in 1974 and a Master’s in Instruction in 1984 from Colorado State University. Michael retired after teaching for thirty-five years, twe...

Pete Martin has been called a "national class mandolin and fiddle player" by the Portland Oregonian and “an impressive multi instrumentalist" by SPBGMA Bluegrass Music News. Playing fiddle, mandolin, guitar and tenor guitar he has performed and recorded with many Northwest artists. Pete is a former National Adult Fiddle Champion and has placed i...

S amantha Robichaud has always been a spirited performer, composer and recording artist. More than a decade and a half as a professional fiddler player, step-dancer, vocalist and all ‘round entertainer has given the phenomenally talented New Brunswick native the experience, maturity and confidence to chart her own musical course. It has also allowed h...

Stephanie Sever is a dedicated student of yoga and holistic healing practices, which is what fuels her enthusiasm for teaching. While an injury is what initially brought Stephanie to yoga in 2005, it was the overall feeling of wholeness and balance that she found irresistible. “It was if yoga showed me a magical key I was holding that unlocked d...

“… a superb dulcimer player … and a first rate composer.” Neal Walters, Dulcimer Players News He’s a versatile full-time folk musician who specializes in fretted and hammered dulcimers, but his first instrument was his mother’s ukulele. At a youth retreat the weekend after Jim Croce’s plane went down, he became so fired up about the guitar tha...

Music is in my blood. Every note I play is nourishment. I came from a musical family; some of my ancestors even have a claim to fame. My Great Grandpa Joseph Wickam was a professional violinist, published composer and teacher. He used popular music of the day to keep the kids interested and inspired. My Great X 3 Uncle George R. Poulton wrote the...