Coast String Fiddlers

GORDON STOBBE’s musical interests lie in the field of traditional music, especially in the wide variety of North American fiddle styles. He plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, & clawhammer banjo. Gordon has developed a teaching program at Musicstop’s Canadian Conservatory of Music in Halifax, N.S. He is a repeat instructor at many fiddle workshops & fiddle camps across Canada & the U.S. He is a composer on fiddle & has many recording &publishing projects to his credit. His CD, ‘Small World’ was nominated for Best Roots/Traditional Solo Artist at the 2003 East Coast Music Awards. He is a regular contributor to Fiddler Magazine. Gordon currently performs with a number of groups including the John Gracie Band, Razzamatazz For Kids (children’s band), the Gordon Stobbe Trio (traditional fiddle styles of North America), the Mighty Oak String Band, (old-time string band music of the early 20th century with traditional twin fiddles) & two dance bands made up of various members of the above bands. He plays festivals, concerts, conventions & other musical venues.
[www.fiddlebooks.com]

MAIRI CAMPBELL and DAVID FRANCIS of “The Cast” have a deep love of traditional music of all kinds, but reserve a particular place for the work of Robert Burns, the fiddle music of Scotland, and Scotland’s rich ballad heritage. They are polished, relaxed and engaging performers, with a deep knowledge of their material and its sources. Mairi Campbell was born in Edinburgh and after studying at the Guildhall School of Music in London her interest in Celtic music brought her back to Scotland. She and Dave formed a duo in 1991, and in this context she performs her own songs alongside traditional material. She has played viola with the innovative Kreisler String Orchestra in London and has spent some time in Cape Breton studying the music and dance of the island.

Dave Francis learned his guitar playing for dancing in the village halls of North East Scotland. In April 1996 Dave became Director of the Edinburgh Folk Festival and in September 1997 he was appointed by the Scottish Arts Council as Traditional Music Coordinator. Dave has long had an interest in traditional dance and theatre and his play The Lang Reel was well received in 1987. The other main strand of The Cast’s work has been in teaching and encouraging Scottish traditional dance styles.
[www.footstompin.com/artists/alphabet/pv/the_cast]

IVONNE HERNANDEZ was five years old with only two years of experience playing the violin; she entered a fiddle contest at the Saanich Fall Fair. There she won a rosette for third place and thus her story began; she has placed in every competition she has entered since. By the age of three, she was able to listen to anything and play it by ear: classical music, Don Messer tunes and the Latin music of her roots. From that point on she was able to pick up and play almost any instrument from guitar and piano, to cello, flute, percussion and South American instruments. After winning numerous fiddle contests including three years in a row at the BC Provincial Champions and the Grand North American Fiddle Championship 2000-2001 in Edmonton, she continued her career at a young age dazzling audiences everywhere she travelled appearing in folk festivals from Victoria to Halifax and teaching at various fiddle camps in North America. In 2004 Ivonne released her Debut CD “Playing With Fire”. As Daniel Lapp writes in the liner notes, “Enjoy this album, the first from a young fiddler whose splendid technique commands attention and deserves accolades but which never interferes with a spirited and soulful performance, which is at the heart of all great fiddling.” Last year Ivonne won a tuition scholarship to the Berklee Music School in Boston, Mass. where she will be studying for 4 years.
[www.ivonnehernandez.com]

IAIN FRASER is in constant demand as a performer, teacher & workshop leader. Iain grew up surrounded by music and now tours regularly throughout Scotland and North America with a large repertoire that ranges from older 18th century tunes to new compositions inspired by his family and surroundings in his adopted home in the Scottish Borders. His particular interests include exploring the great rhythmic & emotional capabilities of the fiddle as well as the relationship of the fiddler with dance & older styles of fiddle music. He has earned a reputation as a soloist with a large repertoire of fine Scottish tunes & is actively involved in promoting the learning & preservation of traditional music. Formerly Principle fiddle tutor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow, Iain now is manager of musical programs in the schools in the Borders. He released his CD “Touchwood” with Christine Hanson in 2002 & has completed a tune book in 2006 entitled “Scottish Fiddle Tunes-60 Traditional Pieces for Violin”. Iain will be collaborating with Harris Playfair this year in Trad Band for youth.
[www.iainfraser.com]

HARRIS PLAYFAIR was born in Lerwick, and still maintains a strong connection with Shetland and its musicians. In 1980 Harris attended the Royal Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow where he trained in classical piano then postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he graduated with a Diploma in Advanced Musical Studies gaining an award with distinction for his programme of all 20th Century piano. In 1990 Harris started a career in teaching, first in Orkney and subsequently in Kelso in the Scottish Borders as a member of the High School music department. His exploration of many styles of music from big band, rock, and jazz ensembles has led Harris to establish several youth bands which combine these styles and traditional music in a modern form. His projects include “Ceol Mor” … Scotland’s junior answer to the Unusual Suspects folk big band, which had an extremely successful debut performance at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival in August and more recently as musical director to the exciting young borders band “Junction Pool” whose debut CD has been described by Mike Harding of the BBC 2 Folk & Roots Website as “An ear-opening volley of musical fire from the rising Borders-based big band, fusing folk with all the juicy bits from jazz and funk, to great effect.” He joins Iain Fraser this year in the directing the Trad Band for youth.
[www.junctionpool.com]

ABBY NEWTON is well known for her groundbreaking work in the revival of the cello in American and Scottish traditional music. She began her career touring with Jay Ungar and John Cohen in the Putnam String County Band, the first modern string band with a cello. At the same time, she started an active recording career. She has produced and performed on over a hundred folk recordings including 17 CDs with Scottish singer, Jean Redpath. Abby’s solo CDs “Crossing to Scotland” (1997) and “Castles, Kirks, and Caves” (2001), have earned her critical acclaim both in the US and abroad. She has appeared on Prairie Home Companion and in 2001, Fiona Ritchie, of the nationally syndicated NPR show Thistle and Shamrock, did a feature program on Abby’s music and her influence on the folk cello movement.

Abby has conducted many workshops in Scotland where she promoted the use of the cello as both a melodic and rhythmic instrument in traditional music. She has taught in the US at Gaelic Roots, The National Strings Workshop, The Swannanoa Gathering, Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, Valley of the Moon, and the Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School. Mel Bay published her first collection of Celtic tunes for cello and the second is in progress. The combination of her teaching, performing and publishing have inspired many amateurs and professionals to play traditional music on the cello. She currently performs with the Celtic Trio Ferintosh and the Mothers and Daughters.
[www.abbynewton.com]

SHARLENE WALLACE, versed on both the Classical and folk harp, Sharlene has reached far beyond the traditions of her instruments melding her dance and art background with various folk, traditional, Classical and avant garde music into a sound and experience uniquely hers. Sharlene received her performance degree in Classical harp from the University of Toronto where she studied with the eminent July Loman and later worked with Celtic harpist Kim Robertson and South American harpists Alfredo Rolando and Ortiz and Eralio Gill. She appears on many world, traditional, instrumental, vocal, and Classical albums, as well as the multi JUNO nominated label Somerset Entertainment. She has also created four independent CDs: the rhyme & the river, Journey of Shadows, Beyond the Waves and Island Mountain and just recently “Anticipation” with Susan Pilch. As an educator, Sharlene gives many workshops and master classes across North America as well as being on the Faculties of York and Guelph Universities and the Royal Conservatory of Music’s World Music Centre. Sharlene is the Principal Harpist for the Kingston and Oakville Symphonies.
[www.sharlenewallace.com]

CATHY RECKENBERG comes from Powell River on the Sunshine Coast of B.C. She started violin lessons in kindergarten after seeing some children playing violin on Sesame Street. She studied violin at the University of Victoria and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and also has a degree in education. She now teaches music and strings in the elementary schools of her hometown. After school Cathy teaches violin and fiddle, coaches chamber music, and directs Powell River’s Youth Orchestra at the Academy of Music. Spring 2008 places Cathy in Edinburgh to soak up Scottish fiddle. Cathy enjoys performing at events of all kinds locally, being serenaded at recess by her students, and dreams of one day appearing on Sesame Street.
[…]

ADRIAN DOLAN’s diverse musical background is rooted in classical training on violin, viola, piano and a wealth of orchestral experience. In his early teens, he began studying traditional music with Daniel Lapp, and playing with the BC Fiddle Orchestra. While his playing and composing earned awards at local and provincial levels, he also began gigging with his own groups playing Irish, Cape Breton and Metis music. Shortly after taking up the accordion at age 17, Adrian began touring full time with The Bills, performing extensively at festivals and theatres throughout the US, Canada and Europe. Their explorations of global folk styles and inventive original music has earned them two Juno Award nominations and two Western Canadian Music Awards, including Entertainer of the Year. Adrian has has toured and collaborated with a diverse array of artists — Barney Bentall, The Arrogant Worms, The Paperboys, Ridley Bent and most recently The Chieftains. Over the past eight years, he has instructed fiddle, accordion, arranging, and piano accompaniment at workshops across BC and the Yukon. He currently resides in Victoria where he juggles a busy schedule as a studio musician, producer, teacher and performer.
[Adrian’s MySpace Profile]

ANDY HILLHOUSE is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and music scholar who has had many diverse musical experiences, from touring Mexico playing Mariachi music, to performing on main stages at major folk festivals, to singing as a soloist in European cathedrals. He is the founder of the popular Canadian celtic funk band Mad Pudding, plays guitar and sings with the innovative fiddler Jaime RT, and provided the driving rhythm guitar behind The McDades (whose latest CD “Bloom”, on which he played, has won two Canadian Folk Music Awards and a Juno Award for Best Folk/Traditional Group) from 2005-2007. Andy was a member of the Juno-nominated vocal collective Musica Intima from 1994 to 2005, is former director of the Universal Gospel Choir, and has directed the Youth & Concert choirs at the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach. Andy has taught workshops on Celtic guitar for the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, the Sunshine Coast Summer School of Celtic Music, and the Saltspring Fiddle Camp. He has been on the faculty of Vancouver Community College and currently teaches an acoustic roots ensemble at the University of Toronto.

Andy has an MA in Ethnomusicology from the University of British Columbia, and is currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Toronto. As a musician Andy feels that as much as we talk about and analyze music, there is a spirit beyond all technique and style that we will never understand, thank goodness. Like musicians everywhere, he tries to plug into that mysterious thing whenever he picks up a guitar to play or opens his mouth to sing.
[Andy’s MySpace Profile]

MICHELLE BRUCE is co-founder of the Sunshine Coast Community Orchestra Association (SCCOA) and …
-conductor of the SCC Introductory Orchestra and Intermediate Orchestra.
-Concertmaster of the SCC Symphony Orchestra.
-founder and past music director of the Coast String Fiddlers.
-private teacher of violin, viola and cello for 17 years.
-coordinator of fiddling trips (highlight trip was to Iqaluit, Nunavut).
-Coast Music Camp director for 5 years.
-Fiddle Instructor at Smithers Northwest Fiddlefest, BC Fiddletreats in Gavin Lake, Sunshine Coast Celtic Camp in Roberts Creek and BC Fiddle Workshops in North Vancouver with the Sabir Sisters.
-Currently teaching Metis fiddle at Ecole Baker and Red Bluff Lhtako Schools and teaching privately 25 students.
-Instructor of Adult Fiddle Class.
- member and player with the Quesnel the Old Time Fiddlers.
-Active SAA member and have Suzuki Violin Teacher Training from Pre-Twinkles to Volume 7.

Michelle’s goal in life is to inspire people to play this incredible instrument and to encourage music to bring people together with this universal language.
[…]

ANGUS LYON has been playing the accordion since he was 5 years old (can’t actually remember not playing an accordion..) and the piano since he was 14. Angus started off with Scottish trad music but against my will at the time moved to classical music for a few years then it was back to the world of trad for a while playing in ceilidh bands. Angus has worked as a session musician for the last 7 years and has been lucky enough in that time to record and perform with many amazing artists and musicians including Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Sir Paul McCartney, Maartin Allcock, Rick Nowels, Craig David, Nick Bict and Dr. Fred Freeman.

Angus recorded his first album ‘long road’ in 1999 then recorded two albums (simple tricks & 18 months later) with Ruaridh Campbell and in 2006 we were nominated for the folk band of the year at the Scottish Trad Awards. The next recording will be another duo album that should hopefully be finished early on in 2008.
[www.anguslyon.co.uk]

RUARIDH CAMPBELL was a pupil of Douglas Lawrence,much of Ruraridh’s musical development took place in the solo competition scene, winning the Scottish National Mod, Banchory , Kirriemur and the Doric Festival.In 2002 , he was the Oban Highlands and Islands Invitational “Fiddle Master” as well as winner of the prestigious Glennfiddich Fiddle Championship.That same year , Ruaridh released his first album with accordionist Angus Lyon, titled Simple Tricks. Ruaridh graduated from Strathclyde University in 2005 where he was studying classical violin under violinist Clive Thomas. As well as writing and performing with Angus Lyon , Ruaridh has recently recorded sessions for the bands and artists such as Million Dollar Disco, the 44’s, multi-instrumtenalist Steve Lawrence,piper Chris Armstrong and various singers and songwriters.
[…]

PIERRE SCHRYER Pierre Schryer is part of the vibrant Franco-Ontarian culture of Canada and from an early age was immersed in the music and traditions of his heritage. As a solo performer he has received numerous titles and awards including Canadian Open Fiddle Champion, Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion, Violoneux Championnat, and North American Irish Fiddle Champion. Pierre truly captivates audiences with his energy, genuine warmth, and flawless ability in any style from Irish, Scottish and Québecois, to Canadian, American, or Swing.

Throughout his career Pierre has maintained a commitment to education. Always in demand for workshops, music camps, and competition panels, Pierre enjoys sharing his experience and expertise with young fiddlers. His compositions are featured on MelBay’s publishings of both, “Fiddler Magazine’s Favorites,” and the “Canadian Fiddle Music Vol. 2.” and also on the transcription by Duncan Cameron of the 2004 JUNO Nominated Album, Blue Drag.
[www.pierreschryer.com]

PATRICK OURCEAU Fiddle player Patrick Ourceau was born and raised in France, settled in New York City in 1989 and is now based in Toronto, Canada.
Mostly self taught, Patrick’s taste for Clare and East Galway music developed early on in his playing after being introduced to recordings of the legendary fiddle players Paddy Canny, Paddy Fahey and Bobby Casey. Patrick regularly visits Ireland and especially county Clare. Over the years, he has during those trips, been able to play with and learn from Paddy Canny, as well as from many other local musicians including flute and fiddle player Peadar O’Loughlin. During the many years he lived in New York, Patrick was able to regularly play with such great musicians as fiddle players Andy McGann and Paddy Reynolds among many others, but was particularly influenced by the style and repertoire of Woodford, Co. Galway flute player Jack Coen.

He is a member since 2003 of the band Chulrua, along with accordion player Paddy O’Brien and guitarist and singer Pat Egan. The trio released last year, on Shanachie Records, The Singing Kettle, their first recording together. When not touring with the band, Patrick performs with guitar ist Eamon O’Leary. In 2004, Patrick and Eamon Released Live at Mona’s, a live recording project praised by critics and fans alike as one of the best recent releases of Irish traditional music.

Patrick has been featured on many recordings, more recently on the TG4’CD and DVD release Geantrai, a compilation celebrating the first ten years of the popular traditional Irish music television program.

In the last fifteen years, Patrick has been in great demand as a teacher and regularly teaches both privately and at various festivals and summer schools across North America and Ireland. He has been part, since 1999, of the teaching staff at Irish Arts Week in East Durham, New York and at Celtic College in Goderich, Canada. He has been teaching for the past several years at Friday Harbor Irish Music Camp in San Juan Island, Washington and at the Chris Langan Weekend in Toronto. Patrick taught several years at Augusta’s Irish Week in Elkins, West Virginia; he has also taught at the Armagh Piper’s Club in County Armagh, Northern Ireland; and at the Fleadh Nua in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland.
[www.patrickourceau.com]

Return to the Sunshine Coast Summer School of Celtic Music main page