“Nothing will speak to your heart wi' the sweetness o' the man of strings”

[Thomas Hardy, Under the Greenwood Tree, 1872]

About …

We are a folk fiddle orchestra, bringing together some of the county's finest folk musicians to celebrate the music of Dorset and beyond. Using original source material from archival manuscripts and newly penned tunes, the ensemble presents an incredible variety of music in an array of exciting contemporary arrangements - from elegant minuets, lilting waltzes, to driving jigs and reels. 

Our membership is growing and comprises of around twenty plus fiddlers, who bring along their own uniqueness into collective form. We get together on a monthly basis to share tunes, new arrangements, camaraderie … and plenty of tea and cake!

Beginnings …

The Dorset Fiddlers was an idea originally conceived by Fiona Cormack, bringing her love of large scale Scottish fiddle orchestras and spelmanslag to the West Country with the aim of forging a community of fiddlers to enrich the local cultural landscape.  Alongside Director, Thomas Gold and founding members, John Dike, Colin and Ruth Thompson at our core, we represent lifetimes of dedication to music making and keeping local traditions living. When the ensemble was formed in June 2023, it was clear from the outset that this was already something very special 

Futures …

Having found a way forward after early days of experimentation, we continue our journey of researching and shaping musical material into new arrangements, enriching the musical lives of our members and performing on a regular basis. We continue to embed the archival and maintain an exciting dialogue with fiddling traditions. We have ambitions to host workshops, encourage the generation of new tunes, and to form partnerships with other ensembles and like-minded organisations