News August 12th, 2009
The Ukiah Fiddle Contest is over! Great year, thanks to everyone who came and played or helped and our judges.
Kate Busey is the 2009 champion, congrats Kate! Aaron Bielenburg(one of Laura's students) and Darin won the Twin Fiddle division... Check out the Fiddle Contest page for full results.
Here's some pictures, if anyone got any others that they would like to share pleas send them to this email and I will try to put them up.
Our oldest and youngest fiddlers,
Bill Whitfield and Nina Jekel
The backup players!
From L to R: Erik Andrerson, Darin, Tom Spence, Max Spence and Jim French 
Our Judges: Gus Garelick, Joe Christianson and Sheri West.
The Open Division awards. From L to R: Darin(4th), Hughie Smith(5th) Kate Busey(1st), Melissa Lincoln(2nd) and Erik Anderson(3rd).
News August 4th, 2009
We got back from Mark O'Connor Fiddle Camp in New York City last Saturday, that was great, lots of amazing teachers.
And yet another reminder: the Ukiah fiddle contest is this Saturday at 12:30... come on down!
News July 6th, 2009
Just a quick note: it's time to register for the Redwood Empire Fair Fiddle Contest. Go to the Fiddle Contest page and download the flyer; registration form is on the back. Thanks.
News June 29th, 2009
We just got back from our Wells/Weiser trip! We went to the Nevada State Fiddle Contest first, Laura won the Adult Division, got 2nd in the Open. I was 3rd in the Juniors. So, Laura was Certified from Nevada.
Then we got up to Weiser for the Nationals, Monday I played cello with our friend Kate Busey, the Western Open Junior champ, that was fun, then Tuesday was Laura's Certified slot... 3 days to prepare, yikes! But it must of come off all right because Laura won Best Female Entertainer. We played a modified version of one of our celtic medleys, with bits from Here Comes the Sun thrown in. And we had some friends come up and do sign language... I'll try to get a picture up. Thursday we were asked at the last second to do an entertainment slot, that was fun. And finally, on Friday Laura played in the Young Adult division, and she got 7th! Yay. Check out this page for full results.
News June 18th, 2009
We're leaving for Weiser tomorrow!
Going to the Nevada State Fiddle Contest on the way up to the National Fiddle Contest in Weiser, ID.
I'm going to be updating our myspace music page with news while we're up there, so check that out here.
News June 3rd, 2009
June! Summer is almost here...
This Friday is a dual CD release party for two CDs by friends of ours that we appear on: The Julian Trio's Mango(Darin's on that) and Michael Charnes' Inquire Within(which Laura's on) So, Friday, 7 PM, Trebelmakers in Ukiah.
Refreshments are a fundraiser for Ukiah Players Theatre.
And... Weiser(National Oldtime Fiddle Contest) is almost here!
News April 29th, 2009
Hey!
Last week end was great, the Russian River Fiddlers played at the Family Expo on saturday, then we did the Willits Contra Dance that evening with John Harper and Ross Walker and Sunday was a recital for Laura's students! Check below for pictures from the Expo.
And... Laura is now (finally!) on Facebook!
Next thing is the Lake County Symphony concert on Mothers Day.
Onstage at the Expo : Darin, Morgan Cummings, Susanna Cummings,
Dora Briley, Jeffery Chen, Emily Bawcom, Ashlynn Rose, Ashley Cable
Laura.
News March 30th, 2009
The California State Fiddle Contest was last weekend! And we won the Twin Fiddle division, for the second year in a row, and Laura got 2nd in the Open division(Melissa Lincoln won). I got 6th in the Juniors, and Julian got 5th in the Junior Juniors. Just generally a fun contest.
News March 23rd, 2009
Just a quick update: We now have a Myspace Music page, so check that out here if you want!
News March 14th, 2009
Hey!
I just finished recording with some friends of ours, Julian and Brad McClanahan and Michael Charnes, on their new cd. And the California State Fiddle Contest is in two weeks - check back for news from that soon.
News January 27th, 2009
Hi!
Cloverdale was last weekend, and that was great! We did pretty well, Laura won the Oldtime division and got 2nd in the Waltz, we got third in Twin Fiddle, I won the Youth Old Time and the new Anything Stringed division, playing the Cello, and I got 4th in the Accompaniest division. Another new division(yay) they had this year was a Band Scramble, where everyone who registered gets put in a band with random people. Always a lot of fun, and this time the band I got in won! We called ourselver the Rockytops, and the band was, in no particular order: Kate Busey and Babette Allen on fiddle, Jesse Winton on mandolin, Max Spence on guitar and me on cello. And --- Julian McClanahan, a friend of ours and one of Laura's students, got 5th in the Junior-Junior division. Anyway, a great contest.
Speaking of contests, I just got the flyer for the 5th annual Redwood Empire Fair contest, so head on over to the Fiddle Contest page to check that out.
From L to R: Bob Gardner, Laura, Darin and Jim French
The Rockytops minus 1! From L to R: Max Spence, Darin, Kate Busey, Babette Allen
News January 6th, 2009
Hi!
It's 2009! Check below for pictures from our solo in Lake County. I don't have any pics from the Russian River Fiddlers gig in late december, but if anyone feels like sending some to me that would be great. And... Cloverdale is almost here!
Us rehearsing backstage... More pictures soon.
News November 30th, 2008
Christmas time!!! Otherwise known as Orchestra Season. The Ukiah Symphony is having a concert next weekend and Lake County Symphony is December 21st... and we've got a solo! Just a little slot by ourselves, we're doing a fiddle/cello christmas medley. As always, check the calendar page for more.
News October 27th, 2008
Hi!
We just got back from the Western Open Fiddle Championships, where Laura got 2nd in the Open division and I got 2nd in the Juniors! We also got 4th in the Twin div, and Julian McClanahan (Laura's student) got 8th in the Jr-Jr div and 3rd in the Junior Jukebox. For the full results, check out the Western Open website here. Next up for us is the Lake County Symphony Concert in November.
From Left to right: Kate Busey, Laura and Darin.
News October 9th, 2008
Here's a couple of pics from the Weaverville Open fiddle contest back in September.... I never put anything on the site about that, but we did pretty well there: Laura won the Open division, I won the Juniors, and we got first in the Twin Fiddle div!!!
Next thing is the Ukiah farmers market that we're playing with the SAS on Saturday, and then the Russian River Fiddlers are playing @ the Pumkinfest (also in Ukiah)
L To R: Jim French, Laura & Darin
L to R: Bob Gardner, Darin, Jim French.
News September 17th, 2008
Hi!
We just got done playing at the Anderson Marsh Bluegrass Festival! That was great, thanx to Don Coffin for having us play there.
This weekend is the Weaverville Open fiddle contest, you should all come to that...
News August 11th, 2008
Saturday was the Fiddle Contest! Yay. Great time, thanks to everybody who came and played or helped. Check out the Fiddle Contest page for results!
News August 4th, 2008
We just got back from Mark O'Connor String Conference yesterday! That was great, I think maybe the best MOC Camp we've been to... This might be the last year in San Diego though. Sad. Anyway it was fun, with lots of great classes and people and concerts. Next up is Laura's fiddle contest, and then VOM.
July 24th, 2008
Hi!
We're leaving tomorrow for Mark Camp(Mark O'Connor String Conference)! I'll post news from that as soon as we get back. And Laura's Fiddle Contest is coming up... August 9th, starting @ 12:30, come and play, check out the Fiddle Contest page for the flyer.
News June 30th, 2008
We just got back from Weiser and guess what: Laura made the third round in the Young Adult division, getting into the top 8! (she was 8th.) And Laura's Certified division piece got Best Costuming. I'll post pictures as soon as I get them.
Update June 12th, 2008
Hi!
We're leaving for Weiser tomorrow! And I made myself a new myspace profile, so check that out here. Also, the calendar page now has some links on it.
News April 16th, 2008
Hi!
Summer is coming! Weiser, Mark Camp, VOM...
I've got the flyer for the '08 fiddle contest up, so check that out.
And the Russian River Fiddlers (RRF) are playing at the Family Life Expo on the 26, (somebody bring a camera!) as usual check the Calendar page for all are upcoming gigs & stuff.
Pics of the RRF
Click on a picture to see a full size view:-)
News February 16th, 2008
Hey!
Good news about the Cloverdale fiddle contest! Laura won the Waltz and Adult Oldtime. There was a new Youth Old Time Division and I won it! And Morgan Cummings (one of Laura's students) was 3rd. I also got 2nd in both the Junior Division and the Accompanist divisions. We got 3rd in the Twin.
Next big thing is the CA State Fiddle Championships in March.
Pics from Cloverdale
Backstage - are you ready? From L to R: Maria Torreano, Laura, Nikkie Torreano, Darin, Jim French (with the blue hat).
Laura and Darin's Twin set. From L to R: Eric Anderson, Laura, Larry Chung, and Darin.
Youth Old Time Awards. From L to R: Darin, Morgan Cummings, Griffin Stoller.
The accompanists! From L to R: Darin and Jim French.
Morgan's set. From L to R: Jim French, Morgan Cummings and Darin.
News January 2nd, 2008
Hi!
We're calling ourselves West Road (after the CD) for the Contra Dance on the 12th. We'll be playing with Bob Laughton - come check it out!
Also, the Cloverdale Oldtime Fiddle Championships is right around the corner on the 26 and 27 of this month. It's a great chance to compete or jam, or just to listen.
Hope to see you around!
Pix from December:
Here are some pix of the Russian River Fiddlers. We're playing Christmas tunes in downtown Ukiah.
Back row from left to right: Dora Briley, Keely Brazil, Nicole Bishop.
Front row, L to R: Ashlynn Rose, Emily Bawcom, Laura.
Back Row from L to R: Darin, Susanna Cummings, Morgan Cummings, Keely Brazil, Nicole Bishop.
Front Row from L to R:
Nikkie Torreano, Audrey Torreano, Ashlynn Rose, Emily Bawcom.
News November 25th, 2007
Hey!
The Christmas season is here and all the local Symphonies' concerts are looming close on the horizon. We'll even have a solo at the Lake County Symphony Concert!!! It'll be a little holiday fiddle medley.
Plus, the Russian River Fiddlers will be gearing up for a Christmas concert @ the Conference Center on State St. - Dec. 19th. Somebody bring a camera! We're hoping to get more photos up from the performances.
As always, check our Calendar page for a full schedule rundown.
Another exciting development - our Cd is now on iTunes! Check it out here.
And... Darin now has a Myspace page! Here's the link.
Hope to see you around this month!
- Laura and Darin
News November 6th, 2007
Hi all,
We were just at the Western Open Fiddle Championships and guess what happened - Laura won the Young Adult division! Yay. We also got 2nd in the twin fiddle division and I got 5th in the Juniors. Check out the pics below. Also, our cd is now available on Cdbaby.com, so check that out here.
