Registration is now open for the second annual Creston Weekend Fiddle Workshop in May. The weekend will be a fun-filled fiddling frenzy and is open to students of all levels. Workshop director Velle Huscroft-Weitman believes the weekend will provide participants with a real sense of musical community and will inspire a new generation of fiddlers as well as guiding seasoned musicians to the next level of playing and performing.
“There are so many different styles of fiddle music across the country, and I’ve tried to bring together a sampling of those styles for the workshop,” said Huscroft-Weitman.
This year’s line-up includes Angus MacDonald, Chelsea Sleep and Jane Russell. MacDonald is a Nova Scotian-style fiddler, well versed in Scottish and Irish music. He is currently finishing his third year of a jazz degree at Saint Francis Xavier University.
Born and bred on the Sunshine Coast, Sleep has performed all over Canada with Oliver Schroer’s ensemble, The Twisted String. She is also the musical director for Bad to the Bow Youth Fiddlers.
Classically trained, Russell has always found ways to incorporate folk music into her playing. She connected with Duncan Cameron and formed the group Fagroongala, which specialized in Irish and French Canadian music and then formed Bogbrans with her husband, Eamonn Reil.
As well as workshop director, Huscroft-Weitman is also taking on the role of instructor. Having performed across Canada, the US and the UK, and having been a guest instructor at other fiddle workshops, she now runs a successful violin program in Creston called Velvet Strings. She also recently recorded her first album with a ten-piece band.
Huscroft-Weitman is looking forward to teaching and working with the other instructors, but she is also looking forward to strengthening the community of musicians in the Kootenays. “It’s important to maintain the tradition of passing on songs and styles. Until recent times, this has been a large part of all cultures around the world. Songs were passed from generation to generation within families and communities and, though Canada is a young country, there is a strong folk tradition here,” said Huscroft-Weitman. “But I think with modern technology we have lost that sense of musical community. Part of why I have put this camp together is because I don’t want music to be an elitist activity; it has to be for everyone so that it can continue to live and thrive.”
The weekend will include a showcase concert on Friday night where all four instructors and special guests will take to the stage. It’s a chance for participants and the public to witness different styles of fiddling. “While the concert is part of the camp, it is open to anyone who wants to listen to great music,” said Huscroft-Weitman. “I encourage both musicians and music lovers to come and experience some world-class playing.”
On Saturday, students will be separated into three levels – beginner, intermediate and advance – so that they get a chance to touch base with all instructors, no matter their skill level. “The last class on Saturday will then be specific to style, rather than ability, so there is another chance for students to learn more about certain genres of music,” said Huscroft-Weitman.
Saturday’s urban barn dance with professional caller Karen Dignan is also open to the public. “It’s important for students to recognize that the waltzes, jigs and reels they learn were played for the purpose of dancing. To best understand the nuances of the music, I think students should take part so they can see the time signatures in action. But I also encourage the public to come and have fun. This is an opportunity to take part in something different and exciting.”
Participants are invited to take part in Sunday’s fiddle orchestra, where all ages and abilities learn songs together and perform as a collective. “I want it to feel like a traditional ceilidh – or kitchen party – where musicians are learning from each other and encouraging each other,” said Huscroft-Weitman. “By playing music we unlock the secrets of expressing ourselves, but by playing music together we connect to other human beings in amazing ways.”
The Creston Weekend Fiddle Workshop will run from May 12-14. Weekend passes, including the concert and dance, are $150. Additional tickets for the concert and the dance are $10 per event. More information and registration forms for the workshop can be found at www.velle.ca. Huscroft-Weitman can be reached at velvetstrings@gmail.com.