ABOUT THE CALGARY FIDDLERS
The Calgary Fiddlers are a musically gifted group of young people who love to perform and who appeal to audiences of all ages around the world. This exciting ensemble performs a variety of music, ranging from traditional folk fiddling, to country, bluegrass, Celtic, and even big band. Each fiddler has a rigorous training schedule that includes private and group coaching sessions on a weekly basis in addition to performing at over 100 functions in and around the Calgary area each year and touring internationally.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Since the formation of The Calgary Fiddlers in 1981, this highly skilled group of amateur musicians, ranging from 14 to 18 years of age, has performed for live audiences, television and radio broadcasts, and concert tours. During the past few years group has toured extensively throughout Scotland & Ireland, Florida, Kansas, Iowa, Montana, Minnesota and Hawaii. They were chosen as ambassadors of Alberta for centennial celebrations in Ottawa, where they performed with the world renowned National Art Centre Orchestra in May 2005. They have been sent by the Alberta and Canadian Governments as ambassadors of Calgary to Korea, Los Angeles, Monte Carlo and Monaco, and New York City. The Fiddlers have also had the privilege of performing for dignitaries such as H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco, former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the President of Yemen and most recently, His Holiness the fourteenth Dali Lama.
CURRENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Fiddlers have been honored to perform for a variety of fundraisers including the Calgary Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Make a Wish Foundation. The group presented a tribute to the 2005 Alberta Centennial with ‘Wild Rosin’, a concert at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. In July 2005, The Fiddlers were given the rare privilege to share the stage with youth groups from over 130 countries, as the Canadian representatives to the 1st International Young Peoples Music Festival (YoPeFe 2005) in South Korea. 2006 and 2007 saw the group take stage with music legends Ian Tyson and Tom Jackson as well as touring Vancouver and Victoria, Florida, Montana and Wyoming. In the summer of 2008, fiddlers had the opportunity to study with and tour Southern Ireland with one of the original Irish fiddlers from Riverdance, Theresa Bourke. The Calgary Fiddlers look forward to returning once again to Florida for a two-week concert tour in January 2010.
AUDITIONS
The Calgary Fiddlers hold competitive auditions for limited number of spots every June.
Click for Audition Information or Audition Form.