Hi everyone!
I trust that all is well with you, your family and that music continues to fill an important role in your community and family. For those of you who have recently liked and followed my artist page, I thank you publicly again for your interest and kind support. Updates have continued to be made on my website, which is now updated and properly functional. At the time of this article, I came back to Canada for two fundraising shows with our Saskatchewan representatives competing at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition in Whitehorse, and a rehearsal with two Alberta representatives in Edmonton while on the way north. As usual, this article is for both of my Facebook pages and www.trentbruner.com.
We begin in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan where our two Saskatchewan reps, Emily Dubois (Regina) and Joseph Desjarlais (Saskatoon), performed a Sunday afternoon show in an open air tent operated by the Meadow Lake Farmer’s Market and organized by Lucas Welsh. Lucas (guitar), Joseph (fiddle), Emily (fiddle) and Yours truly (piano) played a two hour show that received a standing ovation from over 100 people in attendance. We were then treated to a wonderful post concert supper with the family of Neil & Audrey Marsh before heading back to Canwood to prepare for the next evening.
The next performance was an evening show and dance in the Canwood Elks Hall organized by the Canwood Library Board on Monday, August 19th. This show presented an additional cast of musicians and a change in the program lineup due to Booker Blakely and Austin Castle unable to commit due to last minute work commitments. The theme of our concert became “The Canadian Grand Masters - Saskatchewan Participation from Past to Present”.
Firstly, we were thankful to acquire the services of John Kushnyerk of Prince Albert, one of the first Saskatchewan fiddlers to ever compete at the Canadian Grand Masters in the 1990s and the first Saskatchewan fiddler to judge the Canadian Grand Masters in 1992, together with the late Quebec fiddle legend Yvon Cuillerier and the late Cec McEachern from Don Messer Jubilee fame. John opened the show in a classy, professional manner that took us back to the days of many fiddle contests and dances with his band, The Hometowners”. At age 91, he still plays very well and has been playing in seniors homes around Prince Albert.
The second replacement was a fiddler from Saskatoon, but originally from Lintlaw, Saskatchewan, named J.J. Guy. J.J. is a past Saskatchewan junior fiddle champion, an active fiddle teacher, composer, recording artist and performer, both as a soloist and with other fiddle acts, most often with Gordon Stobbe in the duo “Twin Fiddles”. He is also the first ever Saskatchewan fiddler to win the CGM People’s Choice Award when he was a 2013 Saskatchewan contestant and the first Saskatchewan fiddler to ever be inducted into the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame in 2021. His set of CGM memories, traditional and original fiddle tunes was well received.
Then it was Lucas Welsh’s turn to trade a guitar for a fiddle. Originally from Blaine Lake, but now living in Meadow Lake, Lucas has been a past Saskatchewan rep for the CGM in 2003 and 2014. His set of traditional and original old time tunes was another different variation of tunes for the public. He is also active in instrument repair for fiddles and guitars, music instruction, composing and performing. He also is an excellent singer and took a turn with J.J. performing “Tennessee Waltz” to the delight of the audience.
I then took a turn for a piano solo playing my own composition, “Peace Be With You”, which I have used often as a solo piece and as a church postlude whenever I play for Sunday morning worship. After that, our two Saskatchewan CGM reps took the stage for their solo sets.
Joseph Desjarlais from Saskatoon (originally Ile-a-la-Crosse) performed a high energy Metis fiddle set that delighted the audience. This will be his first CGM competition. To conclude the solo sets, Emily Dubois of Regina (originally from Langbank, Saskatchewan) performed some traditional old time and Irish fiddle tunes for another wonderful musical variety.
All entertainers then came to the stage for a closing medley of fiddle tunes to conclude a two hour show and a well deserved standing ovation. An old time dance followed after door prizes supporting the Canwood Public Library were drawn for and a donation for seniors programming was made by Affinity Credit Union to the library.
On a stopover from Saskatoon to Edmonton Wednesday, I was able to rehearse with two Alberta reps to the CGM while waiting for Thursday’s flight to Whitehorse. I was delighted to make use of the time and get some rest for myself in the meantime.
While this was going on in Canada, our oldest daughter, Hannah Moira, has officially moved to Oslo, Norway to become a first year student in folk music performance at the Norwegian Conservatory of Music. I do admit that when I needed to leave for Canada for prior commitments, it did pull the heartstrings when our oldest was leaving the nest. But at the same time, our family is proud of her accomplishments and will do what we can to support her from a distance. Hannah’s brother, Hogne and my wife, Hilde, made sure she got settled into her new residence this past Saturday and would have a good start to her school orientation this week. We just wish her nothing but the best as life goes on and she pursues her academic dreams.
The next edition will come from the 2024 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and the first ever Pan Northern Fiddle Summit. Until next time, see you somewhere down the musical trail!
Musically yours, Trent
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