Valley Youth Fiddlers

Tanglewood Trailer Release

Posted on March 5, 2023

It's 2 months until the first show of our BC tour of Tanglewood. To mark the event we are pleased to release the official trailer.

https://youtu.be/OalmpCPt7Ww

Tanglewood is a story about the music of place. It is about the sounds that layer one over another to make a unique musical landscape. These sounds have been shaped by the mentors that have brought their tunes to share, and by the natural resonance of land itself. The story is told through the lens of the woodland characters that inhabit Tanglewood. Hiccup, the flying squirrel, finds herself swept away in a terrible storm hanging desperately to a string attached to a boat-shaped kite. To make her way back to Tanglewood, she seeks the help of musical acquaintances she meets in unfamiliar surroundings: an owl, a fox, a lynx, a bear. Together, they must listen their way through forest and field—piecing together the sounds and melodies that echo Hiccup’s Tanglewood home.

Tanglewood is a playful mix of storytelling, animation, music, and dance. These performance elements are carefully woven together to carry the audience along an imaginative journey, a journey through Tanglewood. Tanglewood features music written and arranged by Lea Kirstein of the celebrated Toronto folk band Medusa, Order of Canada recipient Gordon Stobbe, Canadian Folk Music Award winners Jaron Freeman-Fox and Oliver Schroer, Juno nominated James Stephens, and five-time Grand North American Fiddle Champion and Juno winner Ivonne Hernandez.

Many thanks to Soniquinn Studios Studios for the excellent filming and video production. We would also like to thank James Stephens, who with our new equipment recorded the audio track.

TOUR DATES & TICKETS

James Stephen’s Workshop

Posted on January 16, 2023

Valley Youth Fiddlers recently held a weeklong workshop with guest mentor James Stephens, and it was an experience to remember! The fiddlers were preparing for our upcoming BC provincial tour of Tanglewood, and James was there to help us polish up our pieces and reach their full potential. Not only is James a talented fiddle player and mentor, but he also brought his expertise as a professional sound engineer to the workshop.

One of the highlights of the week was the opportunity for the group to record an audio track of the Tanglewood song, which will be used in a future video trailer for the tour. James worked closely with the fiddlers to capture the perfect sound and ensure that the recording was of the highest quality. It was a valuable learning experience for the fiddlers to work with a professional sound engineer and see firsthand the process of recording and producing a piece of music.

But the workshop wasn't all about hard work and practice. The fiddlers and mentors also had a lot of fun together over the weekend, with competitive games and activities that kept everyone engaged and energized. One of the highlights of the weekend was a game where shaving cream was put on the heads of four of the mentors, and teams competed to see who could get the most cheezies to stick to their heads.

It was a great reminder that learning and growing as a musician doesn't have to be all serious and formal. Having fun and being light-hearted can actually help to create a more relaxed and comfortable learning environment, and it was clear that everyone at the workshop was having a great time.

At the end of the session, James was honored with one of the coveted Valley Youth Fiddlers mugs, which he took back to Ottawa as a keepsake of his time with the group. It was clear that he had made a real impact on the fiddlers, and that they all appreciated his guidance and mentorship.

The Tanglewood song is a special piece for the Valley Youth Fiddlers, and it was an honor to have James be a part of the recording process. The final product is sure to be a beautiful representation of the group's talent and hard work, and we can't wait to share it with the world.

This workshop with James Stephens was truly a memorable one for the Valley Youth Fiddlers. Not only did they get to perfect their fiddle skills and bond as a group, but they also had the unique opportunity to record a piece of music and work with a professional sound engineer. We are so excited for the group's upcoming tour of Tanglewood and can't wait to see what the future holds for these talented young musicians.

Recording Tanglewood

Posted on January 14, 2023

Today we were recording the Overture for Tanglwood with James Stephens. The music will be used to produce a video trailer to promote our upcoming tour. Thanks to BC Arts Council and BC Government Community Gaming Grants, we have some awesome new sound gear that we can use for the recording and on our tour.

Santa’s Breakfast

Posted on December 4, 2022

One of the things we try and teach our members is the value of community and giving back to the communities we are a part of. Every year we perform at Santa's Breakfast, which is a major fundraiser for the local community food bank. It's one of our favourite events of the year because besides playing Christmas carols for 2 hours to a very appreciative crowd we get a free breakfast (the sausages are the big hit).

Valley Youth Fiddlers

Tanglewood Trailer Release

TOUR DATES & TICKETS

Smithers May 5

Smithers May 6

Smithers May 7

Prince George May 12

Williams Lake May 13

Vancouver May 15

Courtenay/Comox May 17

Parksville May 18

Victoria May 20

James Stephen’s Workshop

Recording Tanglewood

Santa’s Breakfast