Well, it’s hard to believe that a whole year has gone by on this website. Since last January, I’ve included discussions related to the modulations in and around the 5 of 5 chords, discussed minor keys, guitar chord voicing, Neopolitan chords, piano tuning schemes, composed and reworked existing original compositions in quartet and quintet form, composed quite a few fiddle tunes, was commissioned to create orchestral pieces (one based on a waltz I composed and the other on an original quintet for stringed orchestra), rediscovered my Sonatina, Opus 10, No. 1, for stringed orchestra that I composed when I was 19 years of age, and added original songs and poems to the website, too.

2010 also saw the passing of two of my dear musician friends; Will Challet from Massachusetts and Tim Farrell from Maine. I miss them and think of them often. I dedicated my banjo book to Will.

It was also the year that Mary received special recognition for her photo “Clifford’s Falls Barn” and posted many of her photos throughout my website.

Many new pages were created such as the ABL and HPBL dropdowns, the Bluegrass Band pages, the Bulletin Board and Fiddliferous pages and others, too.

Also, it was the year I celebrated 40 years of banjo picking! I also had a blast composing lots of music throughout the year…..even some Classical and Cinematic Bluegrass.

I enjoyed the winter and the summer practicing and playing with Joe and Phyllis Ezero and Phyllis’ brother, Donnie Perkins in a Bluegrass band we called “The Food Stamp Ramblers” and I was also a guest member of “The Perkins Family” , “John Hudson and Friends” and "Spare Change" bands.

I want to thank all of my friends and fans for their continued support, emails and friendship from such places as the United States, Egypt, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Denmark, The United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Canada, Mexico, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Austria, The Czech Republic, Belgium, Switzerland, South Africa, India, Saigon, Malaysia, Spain, New Zealand, Ireland, Iceland, Islensku, Kuwait, Israel, Romania, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Frederick Warner
Adirondack Composer

I've added a few more pictures to the "Bluegrass & Fiddling" page. The pics were taken by Nadine Nichols bassist for "Spare Change" and wife of Dave Nichols of Custom Pearl Inlay. Stop over and have a look. Nadine and Mary hang out a lot at festivals and often times take off together on "photographic escapades" which produce some interesting and often-times funny and/or unusual pictures.

I've just finished composing another hornpipe. It's at the bottom of the Fiddliferous page. Use the page down key to get there in a hurry :)
I've titled it "Fill the Tire Check the Gas" which speaks to problems I've had lately with the car. It's a frolicking little tune, so fiddlers please browse on over and take it for a spin. Keep the bowing "snappy" and the embellishments clean and sharp.

I've composed a new fiddle tune this morning, the 18th of December. I've named it The December Hornpipe and it's a lot of fun to play. It's on the Fiddliferous page waiting for fiddlers to give it a test drive. It's a hornpipe rhythm which makes it a blast to play. Browse on over and give it a whirl.

Here's a picture of the High Peaks Boys taken around 1977. More on the ABL/HPBL page.

I'm so touched by all the visitors from so many places around the globe. Just this week I've had visitors from the USA, France, Spain, Austria, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Singapore, Ireland, Israel, United Kingdom, Canada, Iceland, Romania, Russia, Islensku, Kuwait, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. WOW!
Thank you all very much!

I started composing a new fiddle tune yesterday (12-12-2010) and finished the first part, Part A. I have a sketch in mind already for Part B which I will continue working on as soon as I can get to it. I've named it "The Windy Barn". When I finish it, I'll post it on the Fiddliferous page. I'm excited about it.....it's a fun tune to play; partly because it goes into 3rd position. 
NOTE: I've finished the tune and posted it on the "Fiddliferous" page. Hopefully my fiddlin' friends will enjoy it.

On the "Fiddliferous" page, I've posted a second violin part to Primrose in the Vale. I intentionally kept the harmony within the 1st position range

I am delighted to have found a video of a 1908 O.M. Robinson violin being played. Scroll to the bottom of the "Walter I. Robinson Violin" page under the "Blog" header and click on the link. This will serve to bolster my position on how incredibly happy I am with my violin made by O.M.'s grandson, Walter.

I've just finished composing a new fiddle tune and named it "Primrose in the Vale". It's a very catchy melody and a lot of fun to play....especially to embellish! Being in the key of D (2 sharps), it lends itself easily to fancy ornamentation. I'll post it to the "Fiddliferous" page later today for my fiddling friends to give it a test drive.
(Note: There's also a traditional fiddle tune named "The Primrose Vale" which is a jig typically played in 6/8 time in the key of G Major. My fiddle tune bears no similarity to this jig).