Experienced old-time fiddle teacher in Cleveland, Paul offers private lessons tailored to your needs.

When I had my first session with Paul, I struggled with the simplest of old time techniques. Even double stops stumped me. Paul's patience and thoughtful, well-planned instruction seemed tailored to my specific needs almost from the very beginning. He considers what the student player wants to achieve, identifies quickly their current skill level, and designs a plan of action that will elevate their playing ability week over week. Of course, you have to put in the practice! One of my favorite aspects of lessons with Paul is his knack for being able to explain concepts in multiple ways until I'm able to understand, imitate, and repeat the method or technique. To be honest, I'm only 2 months into my instruction with Paul, but I am super excited about my future as a fiddler under his tutelage. And I didn't even mention his extensive knowledge about the tunes! One would not be able to find an all-around better instructor for old-time Appalachian fiddling than Paul Kirk.

His patience and ability to understand that all fiddlers are different. He has such a wide range of tried and true experience that he is able to pull from about every type of violin music you can imagine. I feel comfortable with him learning as an adult and I can only imagine he would be fantastic for beginners, masters, young and old alike

Very thoughtful, kind, knowledgeable and patient. All things that make a great instructor.

I was able to learn tunes on my own and then check them against Paul's version during our next lesson. He offered different bowing options, letting me know which bowings he thought the original recordings used and which ones would be a worthwhile challenge to help me improve as a fiddler. He is not dogmatic and does not oblige you to play exactly like him, but still offers many suggestions for improvement.

Paul is a very patient teacher able to meet a student wherever they are, from those at a beginner level to the more experienced player. Paul has very thorough knowledge of both the playing techniques of old-time, especially the bowing intricacies that really define the OT sound, and also of the history behind the music, regionally by fiddler and tune. He is passionate about sharing this information and bringing together musicians as a community, as is the history and intention of the style. His method of teaching aurally is accessible to every musician, and also allows him to use particular tunes to deliver key concepts and techniques, ensuring those studying with him build a solid repertoire to bring to festivals and jams.

I love Paul’s approach to fiddling. He teaches with the entire old-time style in mind, so many of the techniques and fiddle patterns I’ve learned from him are easily transferable to tunes I’ve learned in the past. I’ve taken lessons from a few teachers, but Paul is the only one who teaches tunes in tunings that are half-steps and whole-steps down from colloquial tunings. This, to me, adds an element of authenticity to his teaching. He’s attentive to the student’s wants and abilities and tailors the lessons accordingly, but always pushes them to excel. His own journey with the fiddle lends his capabilities to a variety of styles and repertoires and I love his knowledge of the tunes in music in their historical context. Last, he’s a lot of fun! I’ve never felt stressed or pressured in any of the lessons I’ve taken with Paul. I highly recommend him!

Paul is a patient, caring teacher. All of the folks in the NE Ohio old time world speak highly of him and recommend him. I’ve been studying with him for a year now and can recommend him too

Individualized instruction in the areas I want to improve.
Skillful choice of exercises and tunes that practice the skills I need.
Patience, good humor, and encouragement.
Paul’s “special sauce” of beautiful tone and groove.

Paul is friendly, knowledgeable, and a great fiddler. And he clearly loves teaching--a quality that's just as important as the first three!

Individualized, clear, and attentive instruction... exactly what I wanted.