Ashburnham resident Rachael Gerhard loves to join traditional New England slow jams! She takes fiddle lessons with Reed Cullen of NH, who learned from the famed fiddler Randy Miller. Rachael has two Bachelor’s degrees from UMass Amherst: music performance (classical voice) and music education (K-9). Rachael has played fiddle for over 15 years, initially studying with Carol Bittenson of MA. An avid contra dancer since childhood, Rachael is memorizing the traditional dance tunes as played in Nelson and Peterborough NH, Concord and Worcester MA, and numerous other contra dance venues around New England. 

Do you play fiddle, acoustic guitar, flute, banjo, accordion, mandolin, piano or other instruments often found at a contra dance? Join us twice a month for an evening of traditional New England folk music, played at a moderate pace. Bring your instrument to join the jam or simply listen and enjoy the music. Come improve your playing in a friendly gathering. Jigs, reels, marches and waltzes played with sheet music, or by ear. 

Tunes played by request* as we go around the circle. 

*We’ll play selections from 3 books: New England Fiddler’s Repertoire, 3rd Ed., The Portland Collection Vol. 1, by Songer & Curley, and The Waltz Book Vol. 1. ed. by Bill Matthiesen. Several copies of each book will be available at the jam, along with info on how to order your own.

New England traditional contra dancing goes back 200+ years, and includes primarily Irish, French Canadian, English and Scottish tunes. This is a living tradition with weekly/monthly dances throughout New England, all with live music played by professional and volunteer musicians!