Fiddlers

Jeff Green | Jul 31, 2008

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Twelve year old Sarah McCallum.

Local fiddlers Sarah McCallum of Verona and Vivian Mattice of Enterprise are honing up their skills in preparation for the Frontenac Old Time Music Championships that will be held at the Piccadilly Hall near Godfrey August 9th.

Twelve year old Sarah McCallum will be showing off her talent when she enters the Class A-12 and under category for fiddlers.

Years ago she took it upon herself to continue a family love for fiddle music that was passed on by her great grandfather Sam Kirk, a fiddle player himself.

Sarah began fiddling 4 years ago as a classical student studying the Suzuki method.

Having completed 3 years there, she decided to switch her focus to playing blue grass/country and for the last year has been a student of Joe White in Harrowsmith.

It was her teacher Joe who brought the competition to her attention and she agreed to take on the challenge.

This will be her first time entering a competition. Sarah will be playing the old time fiddle song “Maple Sugar” and admits to feeling “kind of excited and kind of scared”.

Vivian Mattice will be entering the Class E-66 and older category for fiddlers. She’s been playing for 10 years and took it up the fiddle after she retired. The late Bernie Jaffe of Tamworth was her teacher for years.

She is a lover of the old time classics like the “Peek-a-boo Waltz” and the “Loggiville Two-Step“. She comes from a musical family as well; her grandfather and his brothers all played the fiddle and her mother played the piano as did she as a youngster.

She has also played in the Blue Skies fiddle orchestra for three years. She and her husband winter in Zephrhills Florida, where she says “There is an opportunity to play in jams every single day if you chose.”

Vivian became aware of the competition through friends Joan and Roy Sheppard the show organizers whom she frequently plays with.

Asked if she is nervous for the upcoming competition she replies “No, not really. I’ve been to Bobcaygeon and Pembrooke where there are fiddle competitions so I know what goes on.”

The proof is in the pudding as Vivian takes out her instrument and plays a lovely version of the famous old time classic “Faded Love“.

Look out fiddlers young and older. These two ladies know their stuff. For more information about the Frontenac Old Time Music Championships or the regular Sunday Jams at Piccadilly Hall go to www.frontenacoldtimemusic.com or call Joan Shepherd at 613 374-5477.