Toes were tapping at the performance by the Twin Fiddles on February 2 at the Shurniak Art Gallery in Assiniboia. It was one of two stops in the area, with the other stop including Lafleche.
Twin Fiddles is made up of two well-known, award-winning and accomplished Canadian fiddlers, Saskatchewan’s JJ Guy and Nova Scotian Gordon Stobbe who was born in Saskatchewan. They travel across Western and Northern Canada to perform, teach workshops, mentor youth and compose.
As accomplished musicians, the duo brings humility to their music while engaging audiences. Dan Koulack from Winnipeg accompanied on bass and banjo along with Cathy Sproule of Saskatoon on piano. Master fiddler, Gordon Stobbe, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association for Outstanding Contribution to Old Time Fiddling in Canada. JJ Guy was nominated by the SCMA as “fiddler of the year” and winner of the People’s Choice Award at the 2013 Canadian Grand Masters.
Cathy Sproule, an accomplished piano player, began playing traditional fiddle accompaniment in 2003. Sproule may also be more familiar to some as the MLA for Saskatoon Nutana. She holds a number of positions within the NDP Caucus including Deputy Caucus Chair, Critic For Finance, the Environment, Agriculture, SaskPower, the Water Security Agency, SaskWater, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation, Francophone Affairs, and the Provincial Secretary. Sproule was born and grew up on a farm near Lafleche.
The four played over 20 selections during their two-hour performance. Their performance was almost like a cross-country tour of fiddle music as well as a historical overview of the colourful traditions of fiddling in Canada. Their repertoire included their own compositions such as “Linda Dufford” and “Dana’s waltz” that reflected meaningful individuals and events in their travels across the country. Their distinctive original tunes were written in the twin fiddle style with lead and harmony lines.
They also showcased different Canadian fiddling styles including Quebec style, Acadian, Metis and Appalachian, as well as genres like waltzes, jigs and square dancing. The audience was delighted when they also featured many selections from the most popular Canadian fiddlers like John Arcand, Ned Landry and Don Messer. Koulack, an accomplished musician and composer in his own right, also played several of his own compositions to feature the softer side of the banjo.
He describes one song as a “gentle riverboat kind of tune”. Hearing the song, one could almost imagine floating down the South Saskatchewan River on a boat in the hot summer as the airy melody wafts overhead. Another waltz was so light and soft that it reminded one of a floating cloud. In between selections, Stobbe and Guy took turns relating lighthearted stories and anecdotes about their tours across Canada and the background to each song. The duo also played one of the most requested tunes in Canada, “Maple Sugar”. Stobbe and Guy took some requests, and all four musicians took time to meet concertgoers.
This was a special performance by high caliber performers who honoured Canadian fiddle traditions. As a duo they have two recordings, Twin Fiddle and Twin Fiddle 2. They have just announced the upcoming release of Twin Fiddle 3.
