For the love of music
Jacques Arsenault receives Golden Fiddle Award during jamboree
The 30th edition of the Atlantic Fiddlers’ Jamboree was held here recently, attracting the best fiddle players from around Atlantic Canada.
Ghislaine Cormier, the general director of La Fédération Culturelle de l’ÎPÉ, says the event, “is like a meeting place for all of these great musicians to gather once a year in the Evangeline area.”
The Golden Fiddle was awarded during the Jamboree celebration to an artist who shares their love for traditional music and keeping Acadian culture alive. The 2017 award was presented to musician Jacques Arsenault, from the Evangeline area, who was described as “passionate and generous with their music.
“We like to give it to a person who has made a substantial contribution to the community to make sure the tradition stays alive,” said Cormier.
There was plenty of life onstage on Sunday as fiddlers poured emotion into their performances at the Mont-Carmel Parish Hall.
Hailee LeFort, from Margaree, N.S., wanted to dedicate a couple of tunes to Marc Boudreau, she told the audience as they clapped along.
“I got my first fiddle for Christmas from my grandmother when I was four years old and I started learning the following summer from my cousin, so she taught me the basics. Then when I turned seven, I had a teacher for five years, but you have different influences from musicians around your area,” she said.
Boudreau was probably biggest mentor that I had.
“Especially when it came to style, technique, and drive, he the was such a big influence on my music.” LeFort added, “Marc just loved helping the younger generation learn.”