Troy MacGillivray - Lanark, Nova Scotia - Fiddle
TROY IS BACK!!! We are so excited to have him back at FiddlyNess 2023!
Troy MacGillivray is from Lanark, a small community on the north-eastern shore of Nova Scotia. Troy’s commitment to music has spanned 30 years and includes both practical and academic accomplishments – most recently an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Limerick in Ireland. From as young as six years old, Troy was impressing audiences step dancing and soon after, fiddle and piano skills. His first teaching gig was at 13 years old at the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s, Cape Breton. His roots-centered approach comes from a family of proud Scottish heritage where fiddle playing and Gaelic traditions runs in the bloodline.
In 2012, Troy was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for contributions to culture in Canada. Troy’s strong career has brought him around the world playing and teaching from the North Pole to the Afghanistan while solo recordings have received numerous nominations and awards from East Coast Music Awards and the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
www.troymacgillivray.com
Troy MacGillivray is from Lanark, a small community on the north-eastern shore of Nova Scotia. Troy’s commitment to music has spanned 30 years and includes both practical and academic accomplishments – most recently an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Limerick in Ireland. From as young as six years old, Troy was impressing audiences step dancing and soon after, fiddle and piano skills. His first teaching gig was at 13 years old at the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s, Cape Breton. His roots-centered approach comes from a family of proud Scottish heritage where fiddle playing and Gaelic traditions runs in the bloodline.
In 2012, Troy was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for contributions to culture in Canada. Troy’s strong career has brought him around the world playing and teaching from the North Pole to the Afghanistan while solo recordings have received numerous nominations and awards from East Coast Music Awards and the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
www.troymacgillivray.com
Alex Kusturok - Spruce Grove, Alta. - Fiddle
It was great having Alex at FiddlyNess 2022 - and we are honoured he is back on the roster for 2023!
Growing up, Alex followed his mother Patti to Old time dances around Manitoba where he was enriched with the fiddle from a very young age. By age 7, the passion for music became apparent and today Alex makes his living as a performer.
Career Highlights Include:
Part of the Metis Delegation that travelled to Rome in 2022. Shared Metis music with Pope Francis.
“Indigenous Day Live Winter Solstice” 5 day music festival that aired on APTN
Celtic Colours international Festival
Top 3 Finish at the Canadian Grand Masters
https://alexkusturok.com
Growing up, Alex followed his mother Patti to Old time dances around Manitoba where he was enriched with the fiddle from a very young age. By age 7, the passion for music became apparent and today Alex makes his living as a performer.
Career Highlights Include:
Part of the Metis Delegation that travelled to Rome in 2022. Shared Metis music with Pope Francis.
“Indigenous Day Live Winter Solstice” 5 day music festival that aired on APTN
Celtic Colours international Festival
Top 3 Finish at the Canadian Grand Masters
https://alexkusturok.com
Daniel Gervais - Edmonton, Alta. - Fiddle
We are very pleased that Daniel Gervais has found time in his very busy schedule to join us this summer at FiddlyNess! Simply one of the best!
Daniel Gervais is a 2x Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion from Alberta. He has a M.Mus in classical performance and also plays gypsy jazz, notably with his ensemble ‘Hot Club Edmonton.’ He lives in Edmonton with his wife and four young kids.
www.danielgervais.ca
Daniel Gervais is a 2x Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion from Alberta. He has a M.Mus in classical performance and also plays gypsy jazz, notably with his ensemble ‘Hot Club Edmonton.’ He lives in Edmonton with his wife and four young kids.
www.danielgervais.ca
Claudine Arcand - Chaudieres-Appalaches Region, Quebec - Fiddle
Woohoo! We are pleased to welcome Claudine back to FiddlyNess in 2023! She will wow you with her mastery of the Quebec fiddle tradition!
In over 25 years of involvement in traditional music, Claudine Arcand has gained extensive experience of teaching fiddle in Québec and abroad. Well-known music camps in the United States, conservatories in France, and the universities of Limerick in Ireland and Newcastle in England are among the places where she has given lectures and conducted training sessions on teaching “fiddle by ear.” From the Chaudières-Appalaches region of Québec where she now lives, Claudine directs MusiQue d’ICI, an organization that offers workshops and activity programs in music, singing and dance for children of pre-school and primary-school age.
www.musiquedici.com
In over 25 years of involvement in traditional music, Claudine Arcand has gained extensive experience of teaching fiddle in Québec and abroad. Well-known music camps in the United States, conservatories in France, and the universities of Limerick in Ireland and Newcastle in England are among the places where she has given lectures and conducted training sessions on teaching “fiddle by ear.” From the Chaudières-Appalaches region of Québec where she now lives, Claudine directs MusiQue d’ICI, an organization that offers workshops and activity programs in music, singing and dance for children of pre-school and primary-school age.
www.musiquedici.com
Lucas Welsh - Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan - Fiddle
The Man. The Myth. The Legend!
He's coming our way to teach fiddle in 2023!
Born and raised near Blaine Lake, SK, Lucas Welsh began his musical journey as a classical violin student. As his talent grew so did his desire to explore other styles of music as well as other instruments. With nominations at the Saskatchewan country music awards for fiddle, guitar, and instrumentalist of the year, Lucas has been described as an “amazing man with a graceful, humble talent”. Whether singing, playing fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass, or dobro his talents have inspired many and continue to inspire through the many students he has taught at various camps, workshops, and in private lessons. Lucas has performed with some of the country’s most distinguished and accomplished traditional musicians, and has added his musical gifts to more than 30 recordings for artists from across Canada.
www.lucaswelshmusic.com
He's coming our way to teach fiddle in 2023!
Born and raised near Blaine Lake, SK, Lucas Welsh began his musical journey as a classical violin student. As his talent grew so did his desire to explore other styles of music as well as other instruments. With nominations at the Saskatchewan country music awards for fiddle, guitar, and instrumentalist of the year, Lucas has been described as an “amazing man with a graceful, humble talent”. Whether singing, playing fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass, or dobro his talents have inspired many and continue to inspire through the many students he has taught at various camps, workshops, and in private lessons. Lucas has performed with some of the country’s most distinguished and accomplished traditional musicians, and has added his musical gifts to more than 30 recordings for artists from across Canada.
www.lucaswelshmusic.com
Kaitlyn Raitz - Nashville, Tenn. - Cello
YES! CELLO!
Kaitlyn is coming to teach cello at FiddlyNess 2023, and we couldn't be more excited!
New York-born Nashvillian Kaitlyn Raitz grew up surrounded by a wide array of musical genres, finding each one more exciting than the next. These passions have led her to a career as a versatile cellist who is equally at home playing Schubert or Sondheim, sitting in on a bluegrass jam or reading a Beethoven string quartet, and performing on stage at New York's Carnegie Hall or Nashville's Station Inn.
Kaitlyn has collaborated with world renowned artists in a wide array of genres. Her playing can be heard on albums spanning from bluegrass to video game soundtracks. Her former folk duo, Bride & Groom, toured Canada and America extensively, growing a sizable audience. Her current duo, Oliver The Crow, released their first full-length record in June 2018 to critical acclaim. Most notably, with NPR called them an “inspired collaboration.”
Raitz’s debut solo album (2021) “Me, Myself, Myself, and I” was born out of her time in isolation during the pandemic and has been streamed almost 4 million times. These pieces combine the technical and extended techniques of contemporary classical music with with folk and pop melodies and chord progressions, solidifying her place among the ever expanding group of innovative cellists around the world.
Kaitlyn holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Performer’s Certificate from Purchase College, State University of New York where she studied with Julia Lichten and a Master of Music degree from McGill University where she studied with Matt Haimovitz.
www.kaitlynraitz.com
Kaitlyn is coming to teach cello at FiddlyNess 2023, and we couldn't be more excited!
New York-born Nashvillian Kaitlyn Raitz grew up surrounded by a wide array of musical genres, finding each one more exciting than the next. These passions have led her to a career as a versatile cellist who is equally at home playing Schubert or Sondheim, sitting in on a bluegrass jam or reading a Beethoven string quartet, and performing on stage at New York's Carnegie Hall or Nashville's Station Inn.
Kaitlyn has collaborated with world renowned artists in a wide array of genres. Her playing can be heard on albums spanning from bluegrass to video game soundtracks. Her former folk duo, Bride & Groom, toured Canada and America extensively, growing a sizable audience. Her current duo, Oliver The Crow, released their first full-length record in June 2018 to critical acclaim. Most notably, with NPR called them an “inspired collaboration.”
Raitz’s debut solo album (2021) “Me, Myself, Myself, and I” was born out of her time in isolation during the pandemic and has been streamed almost 4 million times. These pieces combine the technical and extended techniques of contemporary classical music with with folk and pop melodies and chord progressions, solidifying her place among the ever expanding group of innovative cellists around the world.
Kaitlyn holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Performer’s Certificate from Purchase College, State University of New York where she studied with Julia Lichten and a Master of Music degree from McGill University where she studied with Matt Haimovitz.
www.kaitlynraitz.com
Stacey Read - Sackville, N.B. - Piano
Stacey Read in the house!!! What a treat to have her come and teach piano this year at FiddlyNess!
A strong voice in the preservation of Old Time Canadian and Down East Fiddling, Stacey Read has performed for over 30 years; her first recitals at the tender age 4. A former student of Ivan and Vivian Hicks she graduated with honours from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Current president of The Maritime Fiddlers Association, she is a recognized national competitor having placed in the Top 5 at The Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championships in past years. Nominated for 2 East Coast Music Awards with the Celtic group Banshee she has also played on over 20 studio albums; co-producing the Canadian Folk Music Nominated Album for Emerging Artists “The Lumber Jills” in 2019/2020.
A consummate educator, she teaches fiddle, piano and dance to over 40 students from her studio on the historic Tantramar marshes in Sackville, New Brunswick.
https://nboldtimefiddle.com/home
A strong voice in the preservation of Old Time Canadian and Down East Fiddling, Stacey Read has performed for over 30 years; her first recitals at the tender age 4. A former student of Ivan and Vivian Hicks she graduated with honours from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Current president of The Maritime Fiddlers Association, she is a recognized national competitor having placed in the Top 5 at The Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championships in past years. Nominated for 2 East Coast Music Awards with the Celtic group Banshee she has also played on over 20 studio albums; co-producing the Canadian Folk Music Nominated Album for Emerging Artists “The Lumber Jills” in 2019/2020.
A consummate educator, she teaches fiddle, piano and dance to over 40 students from her studio on the historic Tantramar marshes in Sackville, New Brunswick.
https://nboldtimefiddle.com/home
Ryan Shotton - Saskatoon, Sask. - Guitar
Ryan is no stranger to FiddlyNess and we can't wait to have him back in 2023!
From Saskatoon, Ryan has enjoyed over 15 years as a performing musician in multiple genres, including Rock and Roll (Time Pirates), Bluegrass (Grain Report) and Old Time (Rugged Little Thing) and can currently be found playing mandolin at Honky Tonk Brunch (The Lost Highway Navigators). Playing guitar since the age of 12, his passion for every genre of music continues to grow. He has learned a lot over the years and now he knows that his home is in music camps and festivals among fellow jammers by the campfire.
Class Description:
Ryan’s class will get beginners off the ground and into a comfortable Jam-Ability incorporating learning by ear as well as making use of comfortable strum patterns and fundamental left hand techniques. More advanced players will work to “lead with rhythm” driving the groove and voice leading as well as picking on the melody to your favourite fiddle tunes.
From Saskatoon, Ryan has enjoyed over 15 years as a performing musician in multiple genres, including Rock and Roll (Time Pirates), Bluegrass (Grain Report) and Old Time (Rugged Little Thing) and can currently be found playing mandolin at Honky Tonk Brunch (The Lost Highway Navigators). Playing guitar since the age of 12, his passion for every genre of music continues to grow. He has learned a lot over the years and now he knows that his home is in music camps and festivals among fellow jammers by the campfire.
Class Description:
Ryan’s class will get beginners off the ground and into a comfortable Jam-Ability incorporating learning by ear as well as making use of comfortable strum patterns and fundamental left hand techniques. More advanced players will work to “lead with rhythm” driving the groove and voice leading as well as picking on the melody to your favourite fiddle tunes.