Texas Fiddle Clinic in Bryan hits the right notes with young Lone Star musicians
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) -Young musicians from across the Lone Star State gathered in Bryan this weekend, fine-tuning their skills as part of the Texas Fiddle Clinic’s one-day masterclass. The Stella Hotel in Bryan hosted nine prominent names in Texas country and red dirt on Sunday, sharing their expertise to inspire the next generation of fiddlers.
The instructors, included Wes Barlow, Nick Worley, Katie Shore, Jody Bartula, Haydn Vitera, Damian Green, Brendon Anthony, Bennett Brown, and Brady Black.
Wes Barlow, an Aggie and the founder of the Texas Fiddle Clinic, highlighted the significance of his connection to Aggieland, describing it as a vital hub for Texas music. Barlow also stressed the importance of encouraging students to explore creative uses of their instruments beyond the orchestra, addressing topics often overlooked, and inspiring them to persist in playing after high school.
Texas Fiddle Clinic in Bryan hits the right notes with young Lone Star musicians (Donnie Tuggle/Bryan-College Station)
“Most kids when they graduate high school, if they’re not seated in an orchestra, life, and school is going to get in the way and they might get kind of distracted and slowly fall off from playing,” said Barlow.
Amelia Echels, a student at Lake Travis High School in Austin, shared how her passion for music has become a means of communication and expression of creativity.
“Music is grounding. It’s meaningful. It’s kind of everything. It’s a global language. Everyone understands that everyone is connected to it and through it and I think it’s the basis of all communication,” said Echels.
Texas Fiddle Clinic in Bryan hits the right notes with young Lone Star musicians (Donnie Tuggle/Bryan-College Station)
Barlow says he hopes that students would leave Sunday’s clinic with a newfound inspiration and a fresh outlook on music and their future.
“I hope they leave with a fresh perspective, that they’re able to play with their friends, find bands, know how to improvise, the same inspiration that you get when you go see your favorite band and you just want to dance and you want to move and you want to go home and play I hope that all the students here leave with that same itch,” Barlow added.
Looking ahead, Barlow envisions expanding the clinic into a quarterly event, with clinics in Bryan-College Station, Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, and Austin.
