Calvin Vollrath

Biography

Calvin Vollrath (born 16 May 1960) is a Canadian fiddler and composer and is one of the few European-Canadian fiddle players playing professionally in the Métis style. He lives in St. Paul, Alberta. Vollrath won the Grand North American Old Time Fiddle Championship in 1985 and 1998. In more recent years, he has judged the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Competition, and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association in 2005. He participated as an instructor at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp from its beginnings in 1990 until its final year of operation at Arlington Beach, Saskatchewan in 2008. He has played with various other musicians including John Arcand. Some of his music is jazz-like while some tunes and influences come from the Métis tradition and other musical styles including French Canadian, Scottish, Irish and contemporary pop music. He is an inspiration and a mentor to many Canadian fiddlers, including April Verch, Patti Kusturok, and Samantha Robichaud. The late Cape Breton fiddler Jerry Holland composed a tune in Calvin's honour, named "Calvin, Fiddler's Idol". Calvin has represented Canadian music internationally, such as at the World Music Expo in Berlin in 2000. He became the first fiddler to play at an NHL hockey game when the Edmonton Oilers invited him to play during the Stanley Cup Finals in 1988. He has made recordings with musicians such as Ian Tyson, George Fox, Colleen Peterson, and Laura Vinson. CBC's documentary program Adrienne Clarkson Presents (hosted by Adrienne Clarkson) broadcast a program about Métis fiddling that featured Calvin Vollrath and John Arcand. He composed and performed five fiddle tunes for the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Bio from Wikipedia