Grand Master apprentice judge at fiddling contest

The North Battleford Western Development Museum Fiddle Contest is coming up this weekend, and will draw fiddlers of all ages hoping to entertain and perhaps bow their way to a win.

Saturday, Nov. 9, the doors open at 5 p.m. There will be free workshops from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the contest gets underway at 7 p.m.

Not competing this year is a young man who has played in the North Battleford contest for many years, and despite his young age, he will be acting as an apprentice judge.

James Steele of Saskatoon, a third-year law student, is the first Saskatchewan fiddler to win the Canadian Grand Master Fiddling Competition, which was held in Saskatoon in August. It was the first time the national championships have ever been held outside Ottawa. Approximately 30 fiddlers from across Canada are invited annually to compete for the title of Canadian Grand Master.

Steele is looking forward to the North Battleford event.

"I have been coming to the North Battleford contest for about 10 to 12 years now," he told the Regional Optimist recently. "I have been fortunate enough to win the championship class a number of times in recent years."

Steel said the atmosphere at the North Battleford contest is welcoming and friendly, and the contestants - young and old - always enjoy visiting with each other.

"There is a room set aside for practising, and competitors will often gather there and talk to the other competitors who they may not see all that often," he said.

"I always enjoy going there to see certain other fiddle players that I don't often see elsewhere, due to the fact that they live a distance from my home in Saskatoon. For instance, one person is Will Ballantyne, a fiddler, about my age, from Unity."

As for the audience, "I always know that the crowd is one which really enjoys fiddle music."

He said it's enjoyable to play for an audience like that, which is familiar with many of the pieces the competitors are performing and which applauds generously for all players."

He is also looking forward to the experience of judging the fiddle playing, rather than providing it.

"At a normal contest, there are three judges. At this contest, I will be an extra 'junior judge,' sitting beside the three actual judges," said Steele. "At this particular event, I will not be casting an actual vote which is counted. Rather this will just be an opportunity for me to become more familiar with the process of judging, the way to mark down scores. It is a good chance to gain guidance from the experienced judges who will be there."

Steele expects it will enlarge his understanding of the criteria on which a performer is judged.

"It will be interesting to see a contest through a different perspective than that of a performer."

Steele has been playing the fiddle since he was a youngster.

"I was placed into fiddle lessons by my parents at age seven, and have continued and enjoyed it ever since."

He also said, "My sister Desiree and I perform together as much as schedules permit. Desiree is studying political science at the university. She is a very good piano player, and has accompanied me at some performances."

Steele comes from a musical family.

"My family is especially musical on my father's side. Primarily, my grandmother Maude Steele was a piano teacher, and taught for many years in Meota," he said.

Steele first began taking lessons with a fiddle teacher named Everett Larson, who continues to teach students in Saskatoon. Steele said Larson has made a tremendous contribution to Saskatchewan fiddle music through his years of teaching.

He also has great respect for an Alberta fiddler, well known across the continent.

"One of my favourite fiddle players is Calvin Vollrath, who lives in St. Paul, Alberta. He has performed throughout North America and has composed some 400 pieces, and has had a tremendous impact on fiddle music in Canada."

Steele is studying law at the University of Saskatchewan.

"I was drawn to law in that it offers a very intellectually stimulating career," he said. "I also enjoy writing and analytical thinking, and both of these traits can be exercised in a legal context."

But even as a lawyer, he'll still be a fiddler.

"I hope to always continue with music, whether in performances or simply playing recreationally with other musicians for enjoyment," said Steele. "I anticipate that this will be something I can do on evenings and weekends."

This weekend, he'll be in North Battleford, surrounded by fellow fiddlers and fiddle music enthusiasts.