My 9 year old daughter has been playing piano for two years. She is quite musical, with good rhythm (a champion Irish dancer) and wants to learn another instrument. I was born in Ireland, am a guitar-player, grew up with an Irish/folk background, have been a singer in traditional Irish bands and have spent many a fun night in Irish sessions. My partner is American (we live in California) and wants our child to learn violin. I want her to learn fiddle. As we all know, the only difference between the fiddle and the violin is the music that is played on it, and this is the crux.

I have been around many traditional fiddle players who sometimes will diss another fiddler as "classically-trained". They claim that once someone is trained as a violinist, it is virtually impossible for most people to "unlearn", and play well in a traditional Irish style. The claim is that they are stiff and rigid in their bowing style and fimgering.

My questions are:

Is this really true? If someone learns violin, are they ruined as fiddlers? Any recommendations for me regarding whether I should send my 9 year old to a fiddle teacher or to a violinist?