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July 31, 2008
' The Detroit native, who was writing a thesis paper on the subject as part of a masters program at Syracuse University, found all the musical material he needed as he explored authenticity in music, specifically Cape Breton fiddling. He also met his girlfriend, Cape Breton fiddler Kimberley Fraser, on one of his last days in the area while at the popular island pub famous for its ceilidhs. “I introduced myself and we chatted all day that day,” said Dorchak, who returned to the island to attend the Ceilidh Trail fiddle school where Fraser instructed. “We’ve been together ever since.” Now the couple are headed to St. John’s, N.L. for the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention — the world’s largest gathering of fiddlers, fans and fiddle music scholars — which is taking place Aug. 3-8. It’s the first time the convention, which debuted in Aberdeen, Scotland in 2000, will be held in North America. Approximately 6,000 people are expected to attend convention-related events, which include performances by some of the leading names in traditional music including Scotland’s Alasdair Fraser, Denmark’s Haugaard and Høirup, and England’s Nancy Kerr and James Fagan. Dorchak, who’s currently working on his PhD at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will speak at the convention on the topic The Exported Cape Breton Fiddler: A Hermeneutic Study of the Meaning of Cape Breton Fiddle Music outside of Cape Breton. While workshops by Cape Breton musicians have taught fiddlers in Boston, Massachusetts and parts of Ontario to mimic the Cape Breton style, there’s a fundamental difference, according to Dorchak. “If you close your eyes and listen to the music, they still sound the same but there is a difference,” he said, noting Cape Bretoner fiddle music is a dance music, while in Boston, the fiddle is considered a session instrument. In his presentation Dorchak will compare Cape Breton and non-Cape Breton fiddlers performing in a Cape Breton style and show that the removal of context changes the meaning of the music for the musician. Dorchak, who plays the fiddle himself, said the subject is fun to research. “I get to write about Celtic music and Cape Breton music, so it totally mixes business and pleasure,” he said. Fraser, who has performed at previous North Atlantic Fiddle Conventions, is not on the official lineup this year. But she’s looking forward to the convention week which will feature performances and presentations by more than 100 of the world’s leading fiddlers and fiddle scholars. Events will include concerts, solo recitals, fiddle and dance workshops, demonstrations, presentations, free performances, and scheduled sessions in various locations throughout the area. Fraser, a student at the Berklee College of Music in Boston won her first East Coast Music Award in February for her fiddling release, Falling On New Ground. She also recently travelled to Afghanistan to perform for the troops.
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SYDNEY — Gregory Dorchak came to Mabou’s Red Shoe Pub three years ago looking to immerse himself in Cape Breton fiddling culture for a few weeks.