Angela Hoffman performs at the Prince Albert Winter Festival Fiddle Show at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre Monday night. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

By Ian Gustafson

Fiddle Friends

Prince Albert Winter Festival Fiddle Show showcases Saskatchewan talent

Feb 18, 2020 | 10:26 AM

Yesterday’s Prince Albert Winter Festival Fiddle Show at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre showcased performers of all ages.

“The Fiddle Show is a gathering of fiddle players from across Saskatchewan coming to showcase their talent for the winter festival is kind of a throw back to the days when we had a fiddle contest traditionally,” show organizer Kerri English told paNOW. “Now we’ve gone more of a direction of a showcase rather than a contest.”

The crowd saw solo, pairs and group performances.

“It’s always like a highlight of the year and we’re very grateful that the winter festival allows us to do a show like this. To see the community coming out to support it is definitely, you know, a big plus for us too,” she said.

A variety of ages played at the Fiddle Show in Prince Albert. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

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Some of the music being played includes original songs, traditional Métis music, old time music, Celtic or east coast style music.

“There’s a really good variety of styles of fiddle music in the show represented,” she said.

She credited the large crowd to the vast music culture in Prince Albert.

“P.A. has an awesome support of musicians,” English said. “I’ve lived at other locations and worked in other provinces — there’s no comparison to what we have here in Prince Albert. It’s a huge music community.”

The age range of the performers was from age four to senior aged. English said the young performers had some nerves prior to the event.

“It’s kind of a big deal. For a four-year-old, that stage looks pretty big,” she said.

Children as young as four years old performed at the Prince Albert Winter Festival Fiddle Show. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

Eighteen-year-old Angela Hoffman, from Melfort, has been playing the violin since she was three years old and credits her mom for getting her involved.

“She just put me into it, and she wouldn’t let me quit and here I am 15 years later,” Hoffman said.

She added her mother is also a musician and kept her motivated throughout the process.

“I started with piano actually and then I started violin,” she said, adding she started performing at church by the time she was eight.

Within the last five years, Hoffman has performed for fundraisers, including the Relay for Life.

She told paNOW her favourite part about performing meeting new people.

“It’s a really unique community of people that do this, so I think it’s just interesting everyone you meet,” she said.

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @iangustafson12