By: Shane Bagot, Follow South Jersey Community Journalist
LINWOOD, N.J. – In the Linwood Fiddle Club, young and old talented musicians come together to learn and play music.
The club was founded by Dr. Cheryl May Strange of Linwood. Strange is a performer and teacher who operates in the South Jersey and Philadelphia area. With a doctorate in music education from Columbia University, she has been teaching and helping musicians of all ages for the last 30 years.
The lack of groups for musicians to play with in the area inspired Strange to start the fiddle club. Twenty musicians of all ages play together with Strange, as she also composes. Playing music together with people is something she greatly values.
“I’ve always worked professionally, and I’ve always taught,” Strange said. “So the value of learning to play with others and playing for an audience, I think, is something I wanted everybody to experience.”
In 1995, Strange started the music studio in Linwood, where she had 10 musicians teaching a range of instruments and voice lessons. In 2023, she had to downsize and sell the building. She still holds lessons and teaches at the Ocean City Art Center with more of a concentration on performing. While it was bittersweet, she is still happy to be able to play and teach her students, just without the extras that come with it.
The club plays three programs a year. An Irish performance in March, a Christmas and Hanukkah performance in December, and their summer program, which is always different. This year, the theme is “Popular American Music throughout the Decades.”
Strange came up with the idea for the show from her time teaching a music appreciation course at a college. Starting from the pre-1920s with patriotic songs, transitioning into the 1920s with blues and jazz, and then working through the other decades. To fully immerse themselves in the theme, the club will be in outfits to represent one of the decades.
The first show will be held on August 27 at 6:00 p.m. at the Abescon Lighthouse, the second will be held on September 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ocean City Library, and the last show will be held on September 13 at 11:00 a.m. at the Linwood Library. All shows are free to attend.
In addition to the three programs a year, Strange has a music studio quartet group consisting of two violins, viola, and cello. The quartet group performs at weddings, corporate events, and festivals. They will be playing classical and popular music with Jean Kibler on piano on November 1 at 2:00 p.m. at the Ocean City Library.
One of the unique aspects of Strange’s Fiddle Club is the different generations she gets to work with. Starting from the little and middle fiddles to the sweet and senior fiddles, which include anyone above 30. She loves the idea of the young students being able to take and learn from the older musicians. She is particularly impressed by the younger students’ motivation.
“The fact that it takes discipline to practice and learn your part,” Strange said. “I think they’re learning all that. They’ve been taking lessons on a weekly basis. So I think it builds character.”
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Strange’s work with students and creating a community for musicians. She looks back at her time fondly with success.
“I have a lot of pleasure because now some of the earlier students are grown and have their own families, and they still bring their kids back to us to make the second generation,” she said. “A lot of them have left the area, and they’re all very successful. So I feel like the music lessons have helped them shape who they are today.”
For more information on the Fiddle Club and for a list of events or lessons, click here for the website. To view past shows, you can click here for the Fiddle Club YouTube page.
- What’s Good in South Jersey? Chris the Barber
- Stockton Hosts Annual Lines on the Pines Event
- Rowan University Virtua Health Opens Research Center
Follow South Jersey provides local journalism which highlights our diverse communities; fosters transparency through robust, localized, and vital reporting that holds leaders and institutions accountable; addresses critical information needs; supports people in navigating civic life; and equips people with the information necessary to partake in effective community engagement. If there is a story or event you think we should cover, please send your tips to news@followsouthjersey.com with “NEWS” in the subject line.
