Sometimes it can be too easy to pigeonhole any particular musical instrument with the genre it is most frequently associated with. While many people are comfortable with this attitude, senior Katie McNally shows that the violin can offer far more than the classical repertoire one might expect from it. That's because McNally has been studying the fiddle since she was 11.
For those who don't know, the fiddle and violin are the same instrument, but played in different styles with unique technical approaches. While McNally started playing classically at the age of eight, it wasn't until her instructor's boyfriend, who played Irish fiddle, began teaching her at 11 that the world of fiddling opened up to her.
Once McNally was hooked, she started going to summer camps for the fiddle, giving her more experience with this style of music.
"I went to a fiddle camp at Boston College called Gaelic Roots," she said. "That's where I got into Scottish music and it really took hold."
Beyond playing Scottish and Cape Britton?style fiddle, McNally has steeped herself in other traditional forms of violin playing as well. She played for the Tufts Klezmer Ensemble for two years, as well as the Arabic Music Ensemble and the Tufts Symphony Orchestra. These experiences with various kinds of ethnic music have given McNally new perspectives on her own musicianship.
"It's hard not to hear something and osmosis it in some way," she said.
In addition to her love of traditional music from different cultures, McNally loves contemporary pop as well. But unlike many, she doesn't see these as conflicting tastes.
"People should know fiddle music and traditional music isn't a time capsule, it's not fossilized in one place."
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