Artichoke Community Music Teachers

Dan Compton

Music Bio

Dan has been active in the Pacific Northwest folk music scene for over 20 years, performing at many concerts, festivals, and music- and dance camps – as well as contradances, ceilis, and the odd pub gig. He also writes and performs traditional-based music for film and theater.

Dan’s interest in fiddle music focuses on the styles of Ireland, Québec, Appalachia, and Brittany, and he has collected much of this music in travels to these places. His music is influenced by fiddle players and mentors Kevin Burke, Lisa Ornstein, Liz Carroll, and Matt Cranitch. Dan also studied violin technique with Gary McLaughlin, Kathryn Gray, and Tina Alexander.

In teaching the fiddle, Dan helps students to hear structures and phrasing in traditional music, which is an integral part of learning the repertoire and its subtleties. His students also explore in detail the ornamentation and bowing used in different styles, as well as solid and relaxed bowing technique, tone production, and intonation.

A lapsed classical guitarist (he has a master’s degree!), Dan has long explored adapting traditional folk tunes to the guitar, both fingerstyle and with a flatpick. In so doing, he applies techniques used in classical guitar to folk music and delves into alternate tunings – notably DADGAD. Dan has a deep knowledge of the guitar's role in accompanying traditional music and has performed with many fiddle players, including Kerry Elkin and Randal Bays. With his students, Dan stresses understanding harmony, scales and modes, and other tools necessary to be a complete guitarist.

Dan takes a similar approach in teaching the mandolin, with a special emphasis on plectrum technique and tone production, rhythm, and ornamentation.

Dan also offers a very popular workshop on "Celtic Session Playing" for intermediate players on all instruments. This is a unique setting in which to learn the skills involved in successfully joining an Irish session with your instrument. This workshop is listed on our "Live Music" page and you can call Dan for more information and registration.

Dan currently performs with button accordion player Fran Šlefer, the celtic band Raven, folk dance bands Jigsaw and Pied-à-Terre, and the Breton band Tamm-Kreiz.

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