A night of fiery fiddling is assured when Bobbi Nikles, Laura Risk, Betsy Branch, and John Blasquez -- all instructors at the FiddleKids summer camp -- set bow to strings on the Freight stage, kicking off this year's edition of the camp to an exciting start.

An accomplished, versatile musician with a special interest in Appalachian and Celtic fiddle styles, Bobbi Nikles currently performs with Wake the Dead, and is a shining star of the Bay Area Country Dance circuit. Bobbi is also the director of FiddleKids, a fun-filled, weeklong summer day-camp devoted to exploring traditional fiddle music through tunes, songs, dance, and art.

Laura Risk's love of traditional fiddling has led her into a rich journey through the repertoires of Scotland, Cape Breton, and Quebec, all of which she performs with exceptional passion and finesse. Says Grammy-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, "Her fiddle is a revelation, and achingly beautiful."

Portland fiddler Betsy Branch shares her passion for a wide variety of traditional music both as a teacher and a performer. Her lively and lyrical style delights dancers and concert-goers throughout the Northwest.

John Blasquez's fiddling expertise covers many styles. He plays bluegrass fiddle, American old-time fiddle, Celtic fiddle (primarily Irish and Scottish dance music), Country & Western, and swing. A seasoned performer, he has performed with many of the Bay Area's bluegrass bands, most notably Heartland.