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The Buddy MacMaster School of Fiddling
October 14-18, 2013
The Buddy
MacMaster School of Fiddling is a week long fiddle school
offered during the week of the popular
Celtic Colours International Festival.
The school offers 10 different instructors over five days,
each instructor having their own unique style of Cape Breton
fiddle playing.
"The
Buddy MacMaster School of Fiddling is unique to Cape Breton
Island in that it features the styles of ten different
teachers, both from the younger and older generation of
fiddlers. The atmosphere is one of natural Cape Breton
hospitality, in a focused environment that allows you to
absorb the music and the meaning. I highly recommend this school
for those wanting to learn the fiddling style of Cape
Breton." ~ Sincerely,
Natalie
MacMaster
Week
long:
$500
Per Day: $150
Lunch is
included in the price of the school
Registration begins each day at 9:30 am
Classes: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Break for lunch & Ceilidh
Classes resume: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Daily
Jam Session: 3:30-4:30 pm
Register Online:
»
Register Online for
the FULL WEEK
»
Register Online for
Monday, October 14
»
Register Online for
Tuesday, October 15
»
Register Online for
Wednesday, October 16
»
Register Online for
Thursday, October 17
»
Register Online for
Friday, October 18
Questions?
Contact:
Allan Dewar, Music Director: allan(at)celticmusiccentre.com
2013 School of Fiddling
Instructors:
MONDAY, October 14
 SHELLY
CAMPBELL
Born and
raised in West Bay Road, Inverness County, Shelly has been
playing traditional Cape Breton music for over twenty years. She
was influenced by local fiddlers Stephanie Wills, Theresa MacLellan
and Alex Francis MacKay to name a few. Shelly has
been playing for years at concerts, pubs and festivals and is a
very popular
player for dances.
She has taught Cape Breton style fiddling in
workshops and in private lessons throughout Cape Breton and at
the Ceolas School of Music in
South Uist Scotland. Shelly also has an avid interest in
the Gaelic language and its preservation in Cape Breton. She is
currently teaching Primary school as well as Gaelic language
grades 5-9 and teaching private fiddle lessons.
Her playing is
powerful, lively and graceful and deeply rooted in the
traditions she grew up listening to.
 COLIN
GRANT
Colin has
immersed himself in the local music scene, taking lessons in
fiddle and guitar from acclaimed musician and teacher Allie
Bennett as well as performing at ceilidhs, dances, and concerts
all over the island.
He soon developed his own style of
playing; his clean, lively sound proving versatile in venues as
diverse as the West Mabou dance hall and the Savoy Theatre.
Residing in Sydney, Cape Breton County, Colin is immersed in
both the
traditional music scene and the contemporary scene with his band
'Sprag Session'.
...............................................................................................................................
TUESDAY, October 15
 GLENN GRAHAM
The oldest
of four siblings, Glenn was born in to Danny and
Mary (Beaton) Graham of Judique, Cape Breton. Danny, a well
known Gaelic singer, and Mary, an accomplished pianist, always
had music in their home, so there was little doubt that Glenn
would follow his parents' example. In fact, Glenn sang a Gaelic
song with his father in a Glendale concert when he was 7. His
first fiddle lesson was from his uncle Kinnon Beaton at age 10.
Glenn has been a force to be
reckoned with since he was a teenager, playing for dances when
he was just 15 years old. Influenced by the ancient sounds of
the "Mabou Coal Mines" fiddle style, Glenn’s roots go deep in
the traditional Gaelic music of Cape Breton. Well over four
generations of his family have produced more than fifty
musicians including fiddlers, piano players, Gaelic singers,
pipers, poets/songwriters, composers and dancers.
A Saint Francis Xavier University
graduate - B.A. with Honours in Political Science - Glenn has
published his thesis on the evolution of Cape Breton
fiddling and currently teaches political science at Saint
Francis Xavier University as well as private fiddle lessons.
 GABRIELLE MACLELLAN
Gabrielle is a
native of Judique, Inv. Co., NS and took to the violin at a
young age. Buddy MacMaster, from the same community, was a big
influence for her as was her neighbour John Morris Rankin. In
fact one of John Morris’ greatest compositions 'Gabrielle’s Jig'
was written for her.
Gabrielle comes from a very musical family
and the gene pool is rich to say the least. Many of her cousins
play instruments, sing dance and her tradition is very important
to her. She plays at numerous dances, concerts, festivals, ceilidhs both locally and abroad. She loves all kinds of music
and loves to go back and listen to the older players as well.
She is another one of our Islands gifted, talented and respected
musicians.
...............................................................................................................................
WEDNESDAY, October 16
 ANDREA
BEATON
One of Cape Breton's
most promising young fiddlers, Andrea Beaton comes by her music
honestly. She's the youngest of generations of Beaton musicians.
Her father, Kinnon, is one of today's most influential Cape
Breton fiddlers. Her mother, Betty Beaton, is one of the great
piano accompanists of her generation. Her paternal grandfather,
Donald Angus Beaton, was one of the strongest and most popular
players of his generation.
Her paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Beaton, is a strongly rhythmic piano player, with a great love
of the music. Her uncle, Buddy MacMaster, is the most revered
fiddler on Cape Breton island. Her cousins Natalie MacMaster, a
world famous fiddler, Glenn Graham and Rodney MacDonald are all
well-known fiddlers who also carry on the tradition.
Andrea is increasingly in the forefront of
her generation. Her music is at once her own and deeply rooted
in the tradition associated with the Mabou Coal Mines. And, like
her father and grandfather, she is a composer in the tradition,
adding fine new music to the island's repertoire. Andrea is also
a member of the all-female Celtic band, 'Panache'.
 RACHEL
DAVIS
Rachel hails from Baddeck, Cape Breton. She began learning the fiddle from her
grandfather, Clarence Long, when she was twelve years old. She
then studied under fiddler Karen Beaton for several years. She
is currently studying under Kyle MacNeil of the Barra MacNeils
while working on a Bachelor of Arts degree at Cape Breton
University. She also counts the late John Morris Rankin as one
of her musical mentors. Rachel has also studied stepdancing and
Gaelic singing at the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s, Cape Breton.
Rachel has been a featured
performer for several years at the Celtic Colours International
festival in Cape Breton and was the 2007 recipient of the Tic
Butler Memorial Award for outstanding contribution to Cape
Breton culture. She also received the 2008 Driver’s Award for
Celtic Colours which sponsors a recording session for up and
coming artists. Her debut recording was released in 2009.
Her latest album was just released in April 2013. Rachel has performed throughout Cape Breton and has appeared
frequently with singer/songwriter Buddy MacDonald.
...............................................................................................................................
THURSDAY, October 17
 MAIRI
RANKIN
Mairi Rankin
is a native of Mabou, Cape Breton. She has been playing the
fiddle and step-dancing for nearly 15 years. Her extraordinary
skills have entertained audiences across Canada, the USA,
Denmark, and the U.K. She has performed as a solo artist and
with such renowned groups as Cuillin, Natalie MacMaster, Ashley
Mac Isaac, Mary Jane Lamond, and “Spirit Of The Dance”.
She’s recently added acting to her
repertoire having completed an adaptation of Alistair MacLeod’s
“Island” with Nova Scotia’s Eastern Front Theatre (she also
provided the score for the play.) She has also released a solo recording entitled "First Hand"
and two recordings with her band "The Outside Track" feauring
members from Canada, Ireland and Scotland.
 STAN CHAPMAN
Stan Chapman who is originally from
New Glasgow, NS, is now living in Antigonish, NS. He studied
violin and progressed through Toronto Royal Conservatory Violin
and Theory exams. Stan’s interest in fiddling came from his
father and uncle who were both fiddlers.
He has been teaching classroom
music in the school systems for thirty years and has taught
fiddle to many students as well. He has conducted fiddle groups,
including the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association, and has directed
fiddle workshops in the United States and Canada. Stan is widely
regarded as one of the finest fiddle teachers having taught some
of Cape Breton's most renowned fiddlers including Natalie
MacMaster, Wendy MacIsaac, Jackie Dunn MacIsaac, Ashley MacIsaac
and more.
...............................................................................................................................
FRIDAY, October 18
 WENDY
MACISAAC
Wendy is a fiddler/piano player/stepdancer
from Creignish, Cape Breton. Wendy has been touring all over the
world for the last ten years with Mary Jane Lamond, Ashley
MacIsaac, her band Beolach and as a solo performer.
She has performed in Italy, Brazil,
the UK, Ireland, Iceland, Eastern Europe and all over North
America. Wendy’s recordings include ‘The Reel Thing’ (1994),
‘That’s What You Get’ (1996) and her latest album ‘Timeline’
(2003). Beolach has recorded a self-titled album (2001) and
Variations (2005). Wendy is also featured prominently on the recordings of Mary Jane Lamond
and the duo has just released a joint album 'Seinn', released in
2013.
Wendy began performing at age 5 as
a stepdancer. At age 12, she began fiddle lessons with Stan
Chapman. By age fifteen, Wendy was playing dances all over Cape
Breton island and forming the sound that makes her so
recognizable today. She soon began travelling further, to
Boston, Detroit, and Toronto, to play for the popular Cape
Breton dances in those areas. At this time, Wendy also developed
a strong reputation as a piano player and has accompanied just
about all of the Cape Breton fiddlers of her generation.
 TROY
MACGILLIVRAY
Troy
MacGillivray's musical prowess can be attributed to an
especially rare combination of commitment and bloodline. From a
young age, Troy was impressing audiences with his fiddle, piano
and step dancing, skills. He has completed Grade 7 of the
Toronto Conservatory of Music for classical piano, spent 4 years
in a stringed orchestra, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a
major in music from St. F X University and received an Applied
Music Technology Diploma for recording engineering.
Troy has a
roots-centered approach to his fiddling and piano playing that
has the power to inspire any audience and has played across
Canada (including Nunavut), the US and UK, the Netherlands,
Germany, Japan and Australia. Troy has 5 CD releases to his
credit: his 4th CD, Live At The Music Room, is the 2008 ECMA
Instrumental Recording of the Year and the 2008 Music Nova
Scotia Traditional /Roots Recording of the Year. His latest
project, When Here Meets There, is a unique collaboration with
Canadian & US National Fiddle Champion Shane Cook that clearly
showcases why both fiddlers are at the top of their game by
winning the 2009 ECMA Award for Roots/Traditional Recording of
the Year. Troy is currently working on his 6th recording. Whether playing piano or fiddle, or showcasing his
step dancing capabilities, Troy MacGillivray displays an intense
commitment to the Celtic heritage he inherited from his Highland
ancestors.
Photos
2011 Buddy MacMaster School of Fiddling Grand Finale Concert
Photos by Cheryl Smith
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2009 Buddy MacMaster School of
Fiddling
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2008 Buddy MacMaster School of
Fiddling Students & Instructors
     
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2008 Buddy MacMaster School of Fiddling Lunchtime Ceilidh
Photos by Gary
Samson
A weeklong course of playing
and learning at The Celtic
Music Centre in Buddy's home village of
Judique.
Inn on
the Intervale
Judique Phone: (902)-787-2742
Toll Free: 1-877-795-4882
2-3 miles from the Center
www.innontheintervale.com
Denys
Mountain B&B
Judique Phone: 902-318-0215
2-3 miles from Center
Available for Rent
3 Bedroom House
Call Bernadette at (902) 787-2517
2-3 miles from Center
Herbridean Motel
Port Hood Phone: (902) 787-3214
10 miles from Center
Captain's River Cottages
Port Hood Phone: (902) 787-2594
10 miles from Center
www.captainsrivercottages.com
Chisholm of Troy Costal Cottages
Hwy 19 Troy Phone: (902) 625-3285
15 miles from Center
www.chisholmcottages.com
Marg's B&B
Troy Phone: (902) 625-2401
15 miles from Center
Paul Bunyan Cottages
Troy Phone: (902) 625-3033
15 miles from Center
www.paulbunyancottages.com
Skye Lodge
Port Hawkesbury Phone: (902) 625-1300
20 miles from Center
www.skyelodge.com
Quotes:
 "The
Buddy MacMaster School of Fiddling is unique to Cape Breton
Island in that it features the styles of ten different
teachers, both from the younger and older generation of
fiddlers. The atmosphere is one of natural Cape Breton
hospitality, in a focused environment that allows you to
absorb the music and the meaning. I recommend this school
for those wanting to learn the fiddling style of Cape
Breton."
- Sincerely,
Natalie
MacMaster
...............................................................................................................................
Greetings
from Rockland (outside of Ottawa).
I was at your school for one day (Monday) this year, and
intend to be back for the whole week next year! Really
enjoyed the school, Celtic colours, and just about
everything I saw and heard while there. I am a real fan of
Cape Breton culture and music, and every time I go the depth
and abilities of the young musicians I see blows me away!
This year, after the Tuesday evening concert at Strathspey
Place (which was itself an experience), I stopped into the
Red Shoes pub and heard Jennifer Roland play - WOW! Another
great musician and one I hadn`t heard of before.
- Calvin (Rockland, ON)
...............................................................................................................................
Great job
on the workshops!
- Ketra
...............................................................................................................................
I wanted
to send an email to thank you for all the great teachers at
this years fiddle class. I had a great time, and learned so
much, and met so many great people while I was up in CB. I
need to listen many times to the recordings of the lessons
that I made so it can all sink in.
- Thanks again, Phil
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