DAVID REINER
Dave Reiner was born in Champaign, Illinois. Dave began playing classical violin in grade school and continued through high school and college. He took up bluegrass and old-time mandolin in his spare time while teaching math in the Peace Corps in Za�re. Dave returned from Africa to complete his PhD in Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. There, he became increasingly drawn to traditional music, playing fiddle and mandolin with the Arkansas Travelers, the Irish Brigade, Country Caravan, the Pitz Valley Boys, and Bluegrass Caravan. Dave was fascinated as well with the swing and improvisations of jazz violin. Dave taught bluegrass, old-time, Irish, and jazz violin for five years at Pickin' and Grinnin' Workshops in Wisconsin, and won the 1978 and 1979 Wisconsin State Fiddle Championships. Dave moved to the Boston area in 1980, won many fiddle contests in the Northeast, and continued his involvement with multiple musical styles and bands. For years, he played with Fire on the Mountain, Southern Rail, and Hot Off the Frets. Now, Dave's family and friends join him in the wide-ranging Reiner Family Band (www.reinerfamilyband.com), which has released 3 CDs - one live and two of instructional repertoire. He also plays with Granite Grass, a bluegrass and Western swing band, sits in on fiddle with Boston Road, and teaches tunes, techniques, and improvisation to students. Since 2005, Dave and his family have run the friendly and diverse Fiddle Hell Massachusetts Festival. At the festival every November, hundreds of fiddlers, cellists, mandolin players, guitarists, banjo players, and singers gather for four days to meet, jam, learn, listen, and have fun. While Dave can often be found teaching tunes, he is also very focused on giving players the hands-on knowledge and techniques to play traditional fiddle styles, from bowing patterns and chords to learning by ear and backing up a singer.