Tristen Durocher. (submitted photo/ Tristen Durocher)

By Nigel Maxwell

Hitting all the right notes

Sask. fiddler wins over crowd at national competition

Aug 28, 2019 | 4:46 PM

A man with ties to Prince Albert, Meadow Lake, and Buffalo Narrows, is receiving national recognition for his fiddling skills.

Tristen Durocher, 23, finished ninth at the Canadian Grand Masters (CGM), held in Abbotsford, B.C. last weekend. Just to be at the competition is a big deal as only 33 fiddlers from across the country were invited. This year marked the fourth time Durocher was invited.

“When I get invited I don’t really expect anything. I’m not really there to win, I’m just excited to be there,” he said.

In addition to his top 10 finish, Durocher also won the people’s choice award. The award, which is voted on by the audience, goes to the fiddler who evokes the biggest emotion from the crowd with their playing.

“It’s kind of exciting and a little bit of a surprise,” Durocher said. “I was kind of touched.”

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(Submitted photo/ Tristen Durocher)

Durocher started playing the fiddle when he was eight years old, and has music in his blood. Durocher’s grandfather was also a fiddle player.

“After he passed away, his friend had come to the funeral and played some songs and that was one of the first times I ever heard fiddle in person and I really fell in love with it,” Durocher said.

Durocher’s grandmother bought Durocher his first fiddle from a music store in Prince Albert. With the exception of some help from the John Arcand Fiddle Camp, Durocher is essentially self taught.

“I listened to CD’s of my grandfather playing, and learned from those recordings. So I don’t read any music,” he said.

Durocher has been living out of suitcase since May, on the road playing at various bookings across the province. Durocher was also hired by a fiddle camp this year in Southern Saskatchewan to help them with outreach and promotion, and they have played a number of shows.

Also representing Saskatchewan at the CGM were Emily Dubois from Langbank, Booker Blakely from Saskatoon, and Regina’s Raymond Knorr.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell