| Adam Sweet |
| Viola |
| Mandolin |
| Fiddle |
Adam Sweet studied music at the New England Conservatory at Rivers from 1968 to 1980 from
which he holds a Certification. He holds a BA with major in Ethnomusicology from Hampshire College
and has attended Apple Hill Music Camp (NH) studying chamber music, music theory and
performance. In addition to American folk and world music, Jazz, electronic music. His further studies
include psychology & therapy. His international horizons were greatly expanded during a tour of
Eastern Europe in 1979 when he performed with the Greater Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Adam currently teaches fiddle and mandolin at the Keene Community Music Center, at the
Northampton Community Music Center, and at his private studio in Belchertown, MA. His teaching
specialties in fiddling include Celtic, New England Contradance, Bluegrass, Klezmer, Jazz and Five (5)
String fiddling. His teaching specialties in tune playing include a repetoir of French, Scottish, English,
southern/Appalachian/old-time, Texas, and other types of tunes.
Adam teaches mostly by helping people learn to read and write music, but he is happy to teach by
ear, by rote and via recordings as well. For beginners, he focuses on how to hold the instrument,
make a good sound, play in tune, and learn to play a few tunes. For more advanced players, the
focus is on building a repertoire of tunes in a particular style or styles, bow patterns, ornamentation,
chords and harmonies, and playing with a good danceable rhythm.
In addition to his teaching schedule, Adam plays Celtic music with Fiddle Hill, bluegrass mandolin
and fiddle with Maple Ridge, fiddle and bouzouki with Woodkerne, and viola with the Keene Chamber
Orchestra. He blends the heart and soul of traditional fiddling with the discipline of classical training.
Group classes of 3 to 6 students are an efficient and fun way to learn and review tunes and learn to
play with other people, while private lessons give us a chance to work on specific technical or musical
goals or problems .
Adam assists his wife Emily with her shop Emily's Violins, travels to China and S. Korea to meet with
suppliers, and generally handles anything computer-related for the business. Emily handles
everything else.
Adam is a Member of the American Federation of Musicians, the Violin Society of America, and the
Guild of American Luthiers.
