ABOUT THE STUDIO
Carwile String Studio was established in 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee when Daniel and Amy married and combined educational forces. Each having very successful music studios for years in their home states of Alabama and Idaho, the idea of melding their knowledge and expertise was thrilling. In early 2004, they relocated to Lexington, Kentucky, and Carwile String Studio immediately flourished in its new home. The climate was perfect for the vision of their studio, and they were welcomed with open arms into the community.
Daniel and Amy emanate a passion for music and education that is simply contagious. Both from musical families, they were drawn to the violin at a young age. They participated in various youth musical organizations including The Junior Jammers, The Huntsville Youth Orchestra, and later a member of The Huntsville Symphony. Daniel and Amy knew immediately their life work would consist of sharing their love of music with others. They continued their studies at Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University and The Lionel Hampton School of Music, University of Idaho. Since then, Daniel and Amy have dedicated themselves to all aspects of successful teaching and continue to explore new pedagogy through continued education and professional development. They are both certified O’Connor Method instructors and Amy is a certified Suzuki Violin Method instructor.
Daniel and Amy consistently have over 15 students qualify for Kentucky All-State Orchestra each year. They have many students in various grades attending the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Lexington and currently have over 40 students in the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras. Over the past few years, 10 students have been accepted into the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts. Their students consistently rank highly in fiddle contests throughout the nation.
Carwile String Studio has been awarded “Studio Teacher of the Year” twice by the Kentucky Chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Their students are a continual source of inspiration each week, and their wide-ranging accomplishments are a result of a perfect balance of hard work, determination, and excellent guidance from the Carwiles.
In tandem with their private instruction, Daniel and Amy travel the U.S. and abroad conducting workshops and master classes as well as teaching at music camps. They have instructed at Berklee College of Music Summer String Program in Boston, Massachusetts, Mark O'Connor's String Conferences in New York City and San Diego, Vanderbilt University’s International Fiddle School in Nashville, and the Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, North Carolina.
In addition to being nationally acclaimed educators, Daniel and Amy are seasoned and diverse performers. Their unique musical style has been heard from the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee to venues and audiences across the United States as well as Canada and the British Isles. They have performed with artists such as Tim O’Brien, Bela Fleck, The Moody Blues, Natalie MacMaster, and The Battlefield Band. Competing across the country, Amy has garnered fiddle awards in over 10 states and British Columbia, Canada. Daniel, a U.S. Grand Master Fiddle Champion and World Series of Fiddling Champion, is also a sought after session musician, recording on Rounder, Sugar Hill, and Rebel Records. From Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee, Daniel has recorded with Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Sam Bush, John Cowan, Claire Lynch, Michael English, and Larry Cordle. His participation in, “Moody Bluegrass: A Nashville Tribute to the Moody Blues,” earned him a nomination for Recorded Event of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association and climbed to number 8 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Chart. Daniel can also be found on Kenny and Amanda Smith's Grammy nominated project, "Tell Someone" on Rebel Records. Daniel and Amy’s duo recording,”Col Arco”, reached number 5 on the Acoustic/Folk Radio Charts.
Daniel and Amy can often be found in the judge’s seat and have adjudicated the Kentucky Music Education Association’s Solo and Ensemble Festival as well as numerous fiddle contests including The World Championships, The National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest, The U.S. Grand Master Fiddle Championships, The Western Open, Northwest Regional, The Rocky Mountain Fiddle Championships, Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Wyoming State Championships, The Idaho Open and The Colorado Fiddle Championships.
Daniel and Amy’s professional affiliations include The American String Teachers Association, Kentucky Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, American Folk Alliance, The National Oldtime Fiddlers' Association, Council for Jazz Education, and Chamber Music America.
When they are not teaching, Daniel and Amy enjoy taking in the wonderful Kentucky outdoors through hiking, fishing, and golf.