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Calvin Vollrath
Our commitment to
fiddle music continues with Canada's fiddling sensation. A veteran
recognized for his performing, teaching, judging and composing
abilities, Calvin is a premiere fiddler who is constantly in demand.
Wednesday, June 18
Club Lambi (4465 St-Laurent)
8:00 p.m. $20/$10 student
listen to Calvin here:
"Wind that turns the mill"
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Calvin is a musical prodigy. To date, he
has composed over 350 fiddle tunes, many of which have become
standard contest and dance tunes across Canada. His influence in the
fiddle world is very evident. He has to his credit, over 40 of his
own albums, numerous music books of his original tunes and one
instructional video & an instructional DVD. Calvin was commissioned
to write the theme for the international fiddle convention "Fiddles
of the World", held in Halifax NS in July 1999. Fiddlers around the
world are playing this dynamic tune, by the same name. When Calvin
writes a tune for an individual, a place or an event, he has an
uncanny sense of capturing their personality or expressing its
atmosphere.
His impact on the fiddle world is impressive. With his natural
musical knowledge and unparalleled gift for creating music, he has
transformed the world of fiddling by creating his own style of
music. His compositions are more complex, yet still respecting the
tradition. Young and old alike have taken to Calvin’s style. To give
you an idea of the impact he has made on the fiddle world, Jerry
Holland, arguably one of the best Cape Breton fiddlers and composer
of many standard tunes in today’s repertoire has composed a tune for
Calvin entitled “Calvin, Fiddler’s Idol”.
Calvin's love for music began at an early age when he used to
mimic his father Art "Lefty" Vollrath with two butter knives. His
father developed his own reputation as a great fiddler and passed on
the family tradition. Calvin was raised on the Don Messer's Jubilee
and at the age of 8, received his first fiddle. It was soon apparent
Calvin was a natural. At 13, he entered his first fiddle contest and
at the age of 17, he was already winning the Championship class.
Calvin was twice crowned the Grand North American Old Tyme Fiddle
Champion.
Calvin is very active in the teaching aspect of fiddle music
and is touted by the Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society as one
of the driving forces behind the revitalization of fiddle music.
Calvin teaches annually at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp in Saskatchewan
and at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Camp in Ottawa since their
inception. He also teaches at numerous workshops throughout Canada
and the United States. In August 2005 Calvin received the "Lifetime
Achievement Award" from The Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling
Championship, in recognition and appreciation of his outstanding
contribution to Old Time Fiddling.
Calvin is a world-class fiddler and represents Canada
internationally. In August of 2001, Calvin was a feature performer
at the Closing Ceremonies of the World Track & Field Games in
Edmonton Alberta. Since his participation at the 2000 World Music
Expo (WOMEX) in Berlin Germany, Calvin has toured several European
countries. From 1994-1996, he was musical director for Hank Smith &
Wild Rose Country while touring Europe.
Calvin has recorded with the likes of Ian Tyson, George Fox,
Colleen Peterson, Laura Vinson to name a few and still very much in
demand as a studio musician for various Canadian artists and film
and television productions. Calvin has appeared on many television
shows including CTV's "Sun Country" featuring Ian Tyson, CTV's
"Number I West" featuring Brian Sklar and was the music director for
CBC's "Native Nashville North." CBC's "Adrienne Clarkson Presents"
aired a documentary on metis fiddle music featuring Calvin Vollrath
and John Arcand.
Calvin is a pleasure to watch on stage, his love for music is
contagious and he can bring an audience to their feet. As one lady
said after a Calvin Vollrath performance, "If I don't go to heaven
when I die, I've been there tonight" and another remarked "If you
can't dance to that, you better check your pulse".
Calvin Vollrath is a veteran recognized for his performing,
teaching, judging and composing abilities. Calvin is now producing
recordings for fiddlers from across the country in his home studio
in St. Paul Alberta. Calvin is a premiere fiddler who is constantly
in demand. |
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