About the SCVFA
Since 1973 our jam has been held in San Jose on the first Sunday of each month, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. The jam offers attendees a chance to hear and play music together in informal groups.
During the fall, winter and spring seasons, the jam is held at Hoover Middle School in San Jose. The jams in July, August and September are held at the Municipal Rose Garden Park, just down the street from the school.
What We Do
As our founder Bill Wein put it, ”music self-played is happiness self-made.” Most of our activities involve performing music, as well as teaching, learning tunes and technique. Musicians play in small groups at the monthly jam, outside and on stage for the open mic. Members may also perform at various community events. Payments received for such performances help fund our activities.
History
The Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association (SCVFA) was founded in 1973 in San Jose, California. It was started by Bill Wein, a fiddler from Vermont. Bill came to California when he got a job at General Electric in San Jose in 1973. At that time he placed an ad in the San Jose Mercury News to contact others who also had an interest in fiddling and traditional music.
The five original members were Bill Wein, Guy Jones, Joe de Puis, Ed Pagter, and Jack Sadler (who is still an active member as of 2018). With this core group, the Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association was formed in early 1973. The group conducted monthly jam sessions at various locations for the first year. By early 1974 John Muir Middle School, in San Jose, was secured for the monthly jamboree.
In 1975, the Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of California. In 1976, founding members Ed Pagter and Jack Sadler were part of a group who formed a related organization: the California Bluegrass Association.
SCVFA is an all volunteer-operated public-benefit organization dedicated to the preservation, teaching, and enjoyment of traditional music for the fiddle and other instruments.
The purpose of the organization is to carry on activities intended to revive, study and perpetuate that traditional music. We perform and teach a wide variety of styles including old-time, country music, bluegrass, western swing, Celtic, Scandinavian and other traditional styles. Our music is played on acoustic instruments such as fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, string basses, accordions and harmonicas. Participants range in age from under 8 to over 80 and may play or just listen to the music.
As of 2023 we have about 157 members in 115 households, mostly in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, ranging from San Francisco, Oakland and Livermore to the north, to Gilroy and Santa Cruz to the south.
The image of an old-time fiddler represented the origins of the traditional music as played in many parts of rural America and was a core style for the SCVFA. We continue to honor the traditions of this music and you’ll hear of lot of it at our monthly jams. Over the years our members have shared many other traditional genres. Thus, our organization has expanded to include acoustic music from many parts of the country—and the world—all connected through our shared love of music, our unique heritages, and the delight of playing music with others. …Of course, the fiddle still reigns and holds it all together! (smile)…
SCVFA is a California non-profit corporation, registered with the California Registry of Charitable Trusts. We are classified by the IRS as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3). Donations to the SCVFA can generally be deducted from the donor’s Federal (and often state) income tax. Consult your tax advisor about your specific situation.
Many local corporations match donations for nonprofits. Check with your employer… they may offer this benefit. You can easily add SCVFA as a 501(c)(3) organization. Our EIN is 51-0196154.
SCVFA adopted its first set of bylaws in 1975. The current bylaws can be found here.
SCVFA is supported by our members’ monthly jam admission fees, dues, donations, performances, SVCreates and newsletter advertisers — particularly Kamimoto String Instruments.
SCVFA is supported by SVCreates, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara.