performing - Jim O'Toole, fiddle player and violin teacher, Pakefield, Suffolk

I specialise in historical and traditional fiddling. I play on a baroque violin, a baroque viola, a medieval fiddle, and an electroacoustic 5-string fiddle, in addition to a lovely school of Klotz violin which was kindly given to me by David Gunby.

Recent gigs which sound impressive:

Filming ceilidh dancing with Licence to Ceilidh for E4's Made in Chelsea
Filming medieval fiddle with Joglaresa on a BBC2 documentary The Crusades
Orchestral managing and performing Xerses, Flavio and Fairy Queen with English Touring Opera
Filming in WWI costume for the big screen adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's book Private Peaceful
Directing Norwich Baroque at Wymondham Abbey
Leading Bach's St. Matthew and St John Passions and Telemann's Lukas Passion in Germany for Le Chardon
World premiere recording of Il Gran Mogul (Vivaldi's rediscovered flute concerto) with La Serenissima
Performing medieval fiddles on German SWR Radio with Joglaresa
Improvising Irish fiddle solos at Abbey Road studios for 1916 The Musical
Filming ceilidh dancing with Licence to Ceilidh for Channel 4's Gok's Fashion Fix

Some of the groups I perform with regularly include:

The Frolick - lively chamber group specialising in 18th century bawdy song.
La Serenissima - period instrument orchestra specialising in the music of Antonio Vivaldi.
English Touring Opera - I've played in their period-instrument shows since 2003.
Norwich Baroque - celebrating lesser known 18th century English composers.
Blythe Quartet - we are available for weddings and functions throughout East Anglia.
Licence to Ceilidh - south-east based ceilidh band, performing regular public gigs in London.