About Laura -

An accomplished, award-winning fiddler and violinist, Laura Smith teaches and performs Oldtime, Celtic, Classical and Contest styles with her brother Darin Smith, bringing creativity to her music while staying firmly rooted in acoustic tradition. A versatile musician, Laura is equally comfortable playing fiddle for contra dances or first violin in the Ukiah and Lake County Symphonies.

Currently the Western Open and the California State Young Adult Champion, Laura has also won the Cloverdale Oldtime Fiddle Championships Oldtime and Waltz divisions, Wells Nevada State Championships, the Weaverville Open Fiddle Contest, the Marin County Fair Fiddle Contest and the Ukiah Pumpkinfest Fiddle Contest.  Laura runs the Redwood Empire Fair Fiddle Contest in Ukiah, CA., and has judged at several other contests including CA. State, Western Open and Cloverdale.

Her students have taken top prizes at several contests. Laura teaches privately at studios in Potter Valley and Ukiah, and is the director of the Russian River Fiddlers, a group of fiddlers of all ages comprised of her students.

Laura started music on the piano just before she turned four. She studied piano for seven years and dabbled in other instruments before discovering the violin at age thirteen. Laura's many prominent fiddle and violin instructors have included: Darol Anger, Tashina Clarridge, Tristan Clarridge, Megan Lynch and Yoko Atcheson.

About Darin -

Darin Smith is a seventeen year old musician whose playing is notable not only for his mature technical level but also for his exuberant and expressive style.  Darin's instruments include cello, fiddle and tenor guitar.  He performs with his sister Laura Smith, competes on the fiddle and is one of the youngest cellist in the Ukiah and Lake County Symphonies.  Darin also teaches.

Darin's fiddle contest awards have included 1st in the Junior division at the Weaverville Open Fiddle Contest, 1st in Youth Old Time at the Cloverdale Oldtime Fiddle Festival, 2nd at the Western Open Fiddle Championships, 2nd in the Junior Division at Cloverdale and 2rd at the California State Championships, as well as 1st on cello in the Anything Stringed division at Cloverdale and 1st on mandolin in the mandolin division at the Death Valley 49ers Encampment.

His first place wins in the Jr. Jr. division before he turned thirteen include: the Wells Nevada State Championships, the Carson City Rendezvous Fiddle Contest, Fiddletown Annual Jam and Contest, the Marin County Fair Fiddle Contest, and the Ukiah Pumpkinfest Fiddle Contest, as well as second at the California State Championships and at the Cloverdale Oldtime Fiddle Championships, and third at the Western Open.

Darin's musical education started with classical violin just before he turned six.  At age seven he took up the cello as well.  With the help of some great teachers, he explored fiddle styles on both instruments, and picked up the tenor guitar to provide rhythm backup for his sister Laura's fiddling.