Fiddle Camp to be held in Conway

Fiddlers and string players from all around central Arkansas and surrounding states will be gathering at Antioch Baptist Church the last week in July for the first Arkansas Fiddle and Strings Camp.

Tim Trawick, 2007 Arkansas Old Time Fiddle champion and instructor through the University of Central Arkansas Community School of Music, had been approached to begin a summer camp with a week full of focused and fun fiddle instruction.

Since Conway Public Schools offers only one of eight public school orchestra programs, this provides a place to promote string instruction of all kinds.

Participants ages range from 8 to 61, and their level of abilities vary, as well. Students are requested to have at least one year of instruction. The beginner strand is a one and a half hour daily time period.

Instructor Bill Nesbitt will teach banjo, guitar and mandolin. Charlotte Crosmer will be primary violin and beginner fiddle instructor. Trawick will provide instruction in fiddle, guitar and mandolin, as well.

Private lessons, "pickin's" and performances will all be a part of this camp. It runs from 9 to 3 p.m. July 28-Aug. 1.

Early registration discount offer ends Tuesday, July 15. For more information, go to www.ArkansasFiddler.com or call 329-4278.

The public is invited to participate in the evening jam sessions and to attend the Friday night final performance. It will be at 7 p.m. at Antioch Baptist Church.