​Drawing upon folk traditions and cutting-edge playing,

the Gilbert Town Fiddlers is an extracurricular music education and youth development program based in Gilbert, Arizona. Through its unique curriculum, students in the Gilbert Town Fiddlers develop the creative, collaborative skills necessary to make all of their own arrangements for performances. To their knowledge, it is the only fiddling program of its kind in the country, whose students themselves exclusively create their own music.

Founded in August 2012, the Gilbert Town Fiddlers (GTF) began as a high school performance ensemble, known for its synergy of youthfulness and creative musicianship. Beginning in August 2022, the organization added a middle school program focused on building the skills necessary for the flagship high school ensemble. GTF students explore folk music from a variety of world cultures, but especially those with deep fiddling traditions like American Old-Time, Bluegrass, Canadian, Irish, and Scottish.

As an organization, GTF is also committed to creating educational opportunities for musicians of all ages to learn about folk music. Each year since its creation, GTF has partnered with the Arizona Chapter of the American String Teachers Association to produce Fiddle Fest, a one-day event for string players around the state to explore fiddling. In addition to actively sharing tunes with their friends, GTF students even designed, implemented, and taught their own Virtual Fiddle Camp for young string players during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Performance highlights of previous seasons include: performing and presenting at the American String Teachers Association National Conference in Albuquerque; providing pre-show music for internationally-touring bands The Fretless, Gaelic Storm, and We Banjo 3; performing at the world-renowned Musical Instrument Museum; appearing yearly at the Town of Gilbert’s Global Village Festival; and embarking on GTF's annual Elementary & Junior High School Tours, in which GTF students hop in a van and perform for 700+ students in one day!

Due to its one-of-a-kind development, GTF envisions its work as belonging to all of its students -- past, present, and future. This vision is made even more tangible through GTF's active alumni community. In addition to performing at Jingle Jams (GTF's annual holiday fundraiser), GTF alumni regularly present on panel discussions during yearly retreats and volunteer at organizational events. And, when GTF high school students begin college searches, alumni in different countries and professions often serve as invaluable resources.

Folk music, as an aural art form, thrives through interactions among living tradition-bearers and enthusiastic learners. Accordingly,
GTF is committed to bringing in top musicians from around the country, giving its students unparalleled opportunities to learn directly from some of today's most influential music-makers and music-thinkers in folk traditions.

The Gilbert Town Fiddlers have been fortunate to work with and learn from:
​Dr. Joy Adams (Half Pelican)
Mike Block (New England Conservatory)
Hanneke Cassel (National Scottish Fiddle Champ)
Colin Cotter (MAC)
Adrianna Ciccone (Canadian Folk Music Award)
Denis Dufresne (CCMA Fiddle Player of the Year, Barrage)
The Fretless (Juno Award Winners)
Hawktail (Brittany Haas, Paul Kowert, Jordan Tice, Dominick Leslie)
Ross Holmes (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Cadillac Sky, Mumford & Sons)
Hidayat Honari (Guitarist, National Broadway Tours)
Sten Isak (Guitarist/Singer with Yale’s Professors of Bluegrass)
Jeremy Kittel (GRAMMY-Nominated, National Scottish Fiddle Champion)
​Larry & Joe (Groundbreaking American/Venezuelan Duo)
Sheila Maguire (All-Ireland Fiddle Champ, Lord of the Dance)
Katie McNally (Renowned Celtic Fiddler)
Tricia Park (Professor of Violin, University of Chicago)
Enion Pelta-Tiller (Taarka)
Neil Pearlman (Pianist & Host of Trad Cafe)
Daniel Pentecost (The Tartan Terrors, Barrage)
Brad Phillips (Fiddler, Mandolinist, Guitarist, & Vocalist)
Andy Reiner (Half Pelican)
Lauren Rioux (Jam With Lauren, Darol Anger & The Republic of Strings)
Matt Rolland (Run Boy Run, Arizona State Old-Time Fiddle Champ)
Mike Rolland (Arizona State Old-Time Fiddle Champ)
​Fergal Scahill (We Banjo 3)
​Tracy Silverman (Belmont University)
The Sound Accord
Kiana Weber (Gaelic Storm, Barrage)