The Wild West Fiddle Project is dedicated to researching and reviving Arizona's unique musical heritage, blending traditional Irish melodies with Latin rhythms and other cross-cultural influences. The project presents four distinct monthly events designed for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. 

Join fiddler Kate Rose and rhythm expert Armand Ramirez for a series of interactive concerts and workshops, each exploring a different facet of Arizona’s cross-cultural musical history. Content will be different each time, so please attend as many as you can. Previous attendance is never required, but you will also never get bored if you attend them all.   

Theme 1: Borderland Echoes 

Sat, December 20, 2025 | 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM 

• Focus: This event delves into Arizona's fusion heritage, spotlighting the blend of traditional Irish melodies and Hispanic rhythms found in early Arizona music, lore, and life.  

• Concert: An interactive presentation featuring tunes, stories, and simple dance steps anchored in the earliest documented cross-cultural musical exchanges in the Arizona Territory. 

• Workshop: We'll bring two rare, forgotten Arizona tunes back to life, teaching Hispano-Celtic melodies by ear and focusing on the rhythm section’s role in marrying these two traditions. 

Theme 2: Cowboys & Cèilidhs 

Sat, January 31, 2026 | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM | 

• Focus: Exploring the unexpected connections between the music of ranching, cowboy life, and Irish social dances (cèilidh). We'll look at how traditional Western tunes often share harmonic and rhythmic structures with Irish jigs and reels. 

• Concert: A fun-for-all-ages concert connecting trail songs and ranching lore to the Irish immigrants who often populated the early American West. 

• Workshop: Learn by ear the subtle differences and surprising similarities between an old Arizona ranch tune and a traditional Irish air, including dance moves adapted for the Western frontier. 

Theme 3: Confluence of Cultures: Fiddles, Rhythms, and Movement 

Wed, February 18, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | 

• Focus: Celebrating the rich confluence of cultures that defines Arizona's heritage. This event explores how the music and dance traditions of Native American, Black, Greek, Irish, and other influential groups met and blended into the state's folk culture. We’ll look at the powerful cross-cultural connections where new artistic forms emerged. 

• Concert: An amazing fusion experience featuring skilled artists, exploring shared rhythmic and melodic elements across various traditions, from Native American social dances to African and Irish footwork and fiddle tunes. 

• Workshop: A combined music and dance session where musicians play while dancers learn steps rooted in these various traditions. We will focus on the points of integration and exchange, collaborating on a final, related choreography task that honors the many cultures that shape Arizona. 

Theme 4: The Irish and More: A Musical St. Paddy's Kickoff 

Wed, March 11, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | 

• Focus: A lively special gearing up to St. Paddy’s day, concentrating on the evolution and influence of Irish music in the U.S., including in Arizona's history. 

• Concert: Join Wild World Irish Fiddle (Kate Rose, fiddle and Armand Ramirez, guitar) for an interactive concert exploring the rich history and contemporary twists of Irish music in the Southwest. 

• Workshop (Simultaneous Dance & Jam): Musicians participate in an open jam session while Kate teaches Irish-rooted dance moves adapted for all ages and abilities. 

 Workshop Structure Details (Applies to all four events): 

• Learning Style: We teach by ear, phrase by phrase, just like the old-timers did, and offer additional dance moves. 

• Instruction: Kate will lead the melody instruments, while Armand focuses on the rhythm section. Guest musicians may offer additional insights. 

• Participation: Fantastic opportunities for musicians of all ages, from lower-intermediate to advanced players. Children ages 12 and up are encouraged. Observers welcome if space allows. 

• Goal: To revive rare tunes, offering you a unique piece of our state's musical history and helping to keep the tradition alive. 

Partnership 

The Wild West Fiddle Project is proud to collaborate with key local organizations to bring this rich cultural programming to the community. 

• Community Library Sedona (Event Hosts) 

• Sedona Historical Society (Event Hosts) 

• City of Sedona (Grant Funding) 

Bios 

With a background rooted in Irish music, fiddler Kate Rose spent two years in County Clare, Ireland, learning traditional music and dance from the old players and in the old way. She now uses these folk traditions to serve marginalized communities. She leads Wild Irish Community Dances and performs weekly as part of Wild World Irish Fiddle, blending Irish melodies with Latin rhythms. 

Armand Ramirez, guitar accompanist, is a master multigenre player with decades of professional musicianship, an amazing ear, and a creative, danceable flair. His wide-ranging guitar experience includes jazz, classical, flamenco, and Latin.