Tune of the Week: Ashokan Farewell

Ashokan Farewell was written by Jay Unger in 1983 and is the "goodbye" tune played at the end of each week of the music and dance camp run by Jay Unger and Molly Mason.  It holds emotional memories for many who have enjoyed the Ashokan experiance.  The Ashokan fiddle camp is held every year in New York's Catskill Mountains.  You play music all day and in the hot afternoon go swimming or some other hot weather recreational activity.  And, apparently the food there is really good.  What better life is there?


Ashokan Farewell is in the key of D major.  
    


The reason I am working on this tune this week is that my teacher said it was a great tune to practice vibrato on.  Be careful not to overdo vibrato.  It is usually done on any note bigger than a quarter note.  Another thing, if you first play the note and then add vibrato in the middle it has a much nicer tone.  It also improves intonation because you first find the correct note before beginning vibrato.  


This week, I learned third position on the violin.  To find third position, move your first finger to the place were your third finger is (A) on the E string.  Your second finger will become B, third finger will be, C#, and your fourth finger will be D.  My fingertips are quite raw at the moment because the farther up the neck your finger go the tighter the strings become and the harder you have to press them down.  This results in sore fingers!  But, its worth it!