Aurora Fiddle Society – Performance Training

The Cause

The Aurora Fiddle Society is a non-profit organization with the mandate to promote fiddling in and around Yellowknife.<!--more--> We do this by hosting jams, workshops and, whenever possible, performing in the community.

Money from the Field Law Community fund will be used for “Performance training” for the Aurora Fiddlers; making it easier for us to say “yes” when we are asked to perform.

We have two performing groups; Aurora Fiddlers (fiddlers of all ages and abilities), and a subgroup of young fiddlers, between the ages of 8-14, who are called the Fiddle Cats. Both groups regularly perform at community events, and have performed at the City of Yellowknife Garden Party, Ecology North Coffee house, Canada Day, Nunavut Day, Long John Jamboree, Daffodil Day, Avens Manor Seniors Home, Seniors Christmas Tea, CBC Christmas open house etc.

Here is a link to the Aurora Fiddlers playing at the John Howard Society Family Fiddle Dance in November 2012: <a title="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OVS6yMaYA4" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OVS6yMaYA4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OVS6yMaYA4</a>

Photos of our activities and some of our performances can be found on our website: www.aurorafiddle.com

Funds received from Field Law would be used primarily in two areas:

Performance Workshop (Fall or Winter 2013)

The goal of this workshop will be to improve the performance skills for the Aurora Fiddlers.

Professional musicians will be brought to Yellowknife for a two-day workshop which will focus on group performance and stage presence. The workshop will include either a special group performance, or be coordinated around a scheduled performance.

Performance practices (winter – Spring 2014)

A local musician will be retained to lead practices on a regular basis, and to create a set list for Aurora Fiddlers performances. This will ensure that both the Aurora Fiddlers and the Fiddle Cats are “performance ready,” and will allow the Society to continue to build on this performance training in the future years.

Who Will it Benefit?

This project will directly benefit the 30-40 members of the Aurora Fiddle Society who regularly perform as the Aurora Fiddlers or the Fiddle Cats. Specific groups, like the Yellowknife Seniors, the residents of Avens Manor, the Association for Community Living,  and the John Howard Society will also benefit from this project, as we will be able to continue performing for these groups, when asked. This project will ultimately benefit the entire community of Yellowknife; as the Aurora Fiddlers perform at community events attended by a great many residents over the year.