Trish Clair-Peck: Blog

Exciting news all around these days. Plans are well underway for the 2010 Vancouver Island Fiddle Camp, with a stellar line-up of teachers and a fabulous new location in Cowichan Lake BC. Check out the website (see my links page) for more information. I'm also involved in developing a project with Geoff Horrocks, a great singer and keyboard player based in Ottawa. We will be doing a series of shows on the west coast in March 2010, showcasing Geoff's vocal talents with a great variety of classic ballads and songs. Some samples will be posted here soon, so watch for that. I'm very excited about the possibilities that await us... and I'm so happy to be accompanying a singer again! The fiddle program at the NCM is going strong and we are looking ahead to some exciting new developments - possibly a certificate program! - in fall 2010. Change is in the air. How exciting!

I depart for Yellowknife on December 6, to join Zav RT on a 10-day teaching tour around the Northwest Territories. I'm looking forward to seeing all the fiddlers again and meeting some new ones as well. After Christmas I head north again for the Fort Simpson Jamboree and a teaching tour in the Nahanni Bute region. At this rate, I'll be moving to the north soon (hmmm, not a totally unattractive thought....).

Today was the closing concert for the 2009 Yukon Summer Music Camp, where I have been teaching Suzuki core strings and fiddle for the past week. I have had a glorious time here and am really looking forward to another visit in the future (perhaps February??). Highlights of the week - beyond the privilege of playing music with a great group of children - included a trip to Marsh Lake and a day of gallery hopping. There are some very talented artists here, and next time I will budget more carefully so I can bring some artwork home. Now I'm heading home to see my family again for 2 weeks before the next workshop in mid-August. What a super summer this has been so far!

Greetings from Ottawa, Kansas, where it is hotter than I could have imagined. I'm here for the 35th annual Ottawa Suzuki Strings Institute, completing book 4 training with the wonderful and talented Ann Montzka-Smelser. This is the beginning of a very busy summer... after this I will be teaching in the Northwest Territories, on Saltspring Island, in the Yukon and on Orcas Island. I'm looking forward to meeting and working with a lot of fantastic musicians young and old, and learning a whole lot in the process!

May is almost here, which means the end of my regular teaching year and the start of another busy summer of fiddle camps and concerts. Check out my calendar page to see where I'll be traveling this summer - lots of exciting things are on the books!

I'm writing lots now that the Vancouver Island Fiddle Camp has wrapped up, and if all goes well I'll be going into the studio at the end of the summer to start the next project. Watch for updates.

I'm on my way back to Vancouver Island after a wonderful two-week teaching tour of the Northwest Territories. This time I visited the communities of Fort Liard and Wrigley, as well as participating in the Fort Simpson Fiddle Jamboree. My colleagues were Zav RT, Calvin Cairns, Gordon Stobbe, Andrea Bettger, and Helen Edgar, and I feel so very privileged to have had the opportunity to work with them again. The next trip North for me is for the July fiddle camp in Hay River, NT.

Visit the music page to hear my sons' moving performance of a timeless seasonal classic..... Happy holidays!

December is always so busy! I don't seem to have much time for my own performing work these days, because of a million teaching-related shows. The Nanaimo Fiddlers are keeping very busy with Christmas shows, and I am also involved in a local production of The Nutcracker as well as several choral concerts. Last night at the Port Theatre, Greta Negrave (a member of the Nanaimo Fiddlers) performed a Vivaldi Violin Concerto with the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra. I was part of that orchestra, and it was such a pleasure to accompany this young player for her "big stage" debut. I'm enjoying all this busy-ness, but I'm also looking forward to a bit more time for my own music in 2009.......

(Check out http://web.me.com/nanaimofiddlers for more information about this camp)

Things are rolling along for the 2nd annual Vancouver Island Fiddle Camp, which runs from March 20-22 2009 at beautiful Camp Moorecroft in Nanoose Bay BC. Confirmed instructors include Gordon Stobbe, Ivonne Hernandez, Calvin Cairns, Erynn Marshall, Daniel Lapp, Paul O'Brien, and myself. Registration opens soon.

I just got home from the 9th annual Fiddleworks camp on Salt Spring Island (a great week of fiddling with Jaime RT, Gordon Stobbe, Anne Lindsay, Erynn Marshall, Calvin Cairns, Miriam Sonstenes, and Andy Hillhouse) and I can't believe that September is already upon us. It's been a busy summer: three fiddle camps, several performances, recording sessions with David Essig, Rick Scott, and Sue Pyper, Suzuki workshops, and as many days exploring the local tide pools as we could fit in. In less than a week I start my "day job" again, teaching at the Nanaimo Conservatory. I'm sad to see summer end but looking forward to a really big year for the Nanaimo Fiddlers and for the local Suzuki program.

Now, I must go enjoy my last few hours of summer!

Tonight was the final group rehearsal before Islands FolkFest, and I recorded the rehearsal. Go to the "sounds" page, scroll down beyond the tracks from Dawson's Tumble, and have a listen to these great fiddle students!

Hey, I know that people who don't have children are likely still asleep at this hour of the day, but set your alarm for 7am on Mondays and listen to 101.7 CHLY FM (www.chly.ca for live streaming online). Kenny Brault has a weekly show called "Eclectic Celtic," which features lots of local and Canadian music from all the Celtic traditions. On the second Monday of each month, I join him in the studio for FIDDLE MONDAYS -- we play some tunes live and I share some of my favorite fiddle tracks.

I missed a week while teaching up North, so we'll do the fiddle show this coming Monday the 21st and then it's back to the usual schedule : )

I spent last week in Hay River, Northwest Territories, teaching at the 6th Kole Crook Fiddle Association Fiddle Camp. It was another great experience in the North. As usual, the teachers with whom I was working were all fantastic players and I was reminded how far I have to go as a player to be "in their league". it is always good to be inspired by excellent musicians, even if it's a bit hard on the ego at times...

The days were long and very full, and although I had a great week I'm very glad to be home. Only 12 days until the Nanaimo Fiddlers perform at Islands Folk Fest!

I just returned home from the Suzuki Music Columbus (Ohio) Institute, where I completed teacher training in books 2 and 3 with Carol Smith. What an inspiring ten days! I had the opportunity to watch some really fantastic teachers, and heard lots of wonderful musical growth in the children. I am so excited about growing the Suzuki program here in Nanaimo ..... if only we had a Suzuki cello teacher. Anyone out there interested??

Okay, so I'm not very good at "blogging" ... life just gets in the way, and I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing!

The school year is winding down, which means that I will soon hang up my "teacher" hat for a few months. It's been a great year for the fiddle program in Nanaimo, and I'm already hard at work putting together the curriculum and doing the recordings for next year's classes. In July the Intermediate and Advanced groups are playing at Islands Folk Fest in Duncan -- woo hooo!

I've played a few gigs over the past short while with Charity Munro and Terry Boyle, the most recent of which was in my hometown (Courtenay, BC). I love how inspired I feel when performing regularly - I'm never so productive as a composer and never find as many hours to practice as when there are some gigs on the horizon! I suppose it's time to start considering what to do with those new tunes.

I'm off to Columbus, Ohio in a month for some teacher training seminars. Whether or not I want to teach violin/fiddle full-time, I always come home from these workshops totally renewed and excited about going back to my day job. I can't wait to experience life in a US university town for a couple of weeks!

Calling all Vancouver Island fiddlers! Come out for a great weekend of fiddling at our first Nanaimo Fiddle Jamboree, happening March 14-16 at Aspengrove School in Lantzville. Jointly hosted by Fiddleworks Community Development Society and the Nanaimo Conservatory of Music, the weekend will include great classes with Calvin Cairns, Erynn Marshall, Jaime RT, Marian Rose, Paul O'Brien, Lesley Clarke and Trish Clair-Peck (that's me). Register by calling the Conservatory at 754-4611.

Only 6 sleeps until I board a plane and head north! Along with Jaime RT and Gordon Stobbe, I'll be teaching fiddle in Inuvik and a few other locations in Canada's arctic region. Today is the day to buy long underwear and thermal insoles....

Watch for photos and other goodies after I return home on the 24th.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Protection Island has the highest per-capita population of award-nominated and award-winning musicians in Canada (not to mention the several well-known writers and artists who live here). After a very recent "close call" that almost resulted in a decision to move away from this place, I'm feeling particularly affectionate about the home we have chosen for our family.

First off, the location: it is a seven minute boat ride from the Nanaimo harbour, which is a smallish town close to Vancouver and Victoria but still small enough to feel "quiet." Protection Island itself is quite small. To walk around the island (at low tide) takes about an hour and a half (mind you, that's with two little boys in tow...). At last count, there were approximately 325 full-time residents here. There are some cars on the island, but golf carts are still the majority. Most of the residents know each other, and there is an incredible sense of community that, from my experience, is totally unique.

Of course, there are challenges in living here, as many people living according to a ferry schedule will agree. But I question whether I could have made 'Dawson's Tumble" anywhere else, and I continue to be inspired by the beauty and the people of Protection Island.

Check out the music page to hear my 3- and 5-year-old sing their fave seasonal ditty. Yay for Garage Band!

Happy holidays to all.

No statuette (congratulations to Anne Lindsay for the win in the Solo Instrumental category), but I am really happy to have made the trip to Gatineau. The gala was great and I had a chance to meet several new people as well as catching up with my Ontario family. It was all very inspiring .... I can't wait to get back to the studio and start the next project.

Now I'm getting ready for a few house concerts with guitarist/singer Terry Boyle. Hopefully our silly west coast winter weather won't keep audiences at home.

Well, in the morning I will board a plane and head East to the Canadian Folk Music Awards (thanks to a generous gift from my lovely sister-in-law!). Fellow Protection Islanders Rick Scott and Valley Hennell will be there as well, and we hope to find a little time to paint the town red between events. My father is also making the trip with me: our first road trip together in my adult life.

I'm excited and more than a bit nervous, and I am looking forward to a great weekend meeting lots of wonderful musicians. Hopefully there will be an added bonus, and I will be able to post something here celebrating a statuette!

Yup, folks, it is official. Fiddleworks Community Development Society and the Nanaimo Conservatory of Music will be co-hosting the first ever (annual??) March Break fiddle camp right here in Nanaimo.

The camp will follow the format of Jaime RT's great summer workshops on Salt Spring Island and will run from Sunday March 16 to Thursday March 20, with the exciting kick-off concert happening on Saturday March 15. Mark the dates on your calendar now, and watch for lots more information soon. There are a bunch of fantastic teachers lined up and the week is sure to be great fun.

I've been tidying up the shelf of CDs in the living room, and in the process have revisited the recordings I've been involved in. Funny how my name rarely appears in its correct form on these CDs!

Since I got married there has been confusion over my last name ..... "Clair" being both a first name and a surname, I suppose I can understand that (interesting factoid: my family name is actually "Clare," but when my great-grandfather came to Canada from Ireland it seems the spelling of the name was changed).

So far I've been dubbed Trish-Clara Peck, Trish-Clair Peck, Trish Ciara Peck, Trish Clay-Peek and Trish Clair Pack. Now I'm totally set if I ever want to enter a life of espionage and intrigue - my pseudonyms are all lined up!

I just found out that I have been nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award (Best Instrumentalist - Solo). I'm SO thrilled and feel absolutely privileged to be in the company of some of my favorite performers .... visit the CFMA website at www.canadianfolkmusicawards.ca to see the complete list of nominees.

WOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Last Sunday we had a CD release party on Protection Island, and it was a smashing success. Thanks to all of the wonderful people at the Protection Island Cultural Historical Society (PICHS), we played to a packed (and well-fed) house. I think everyone had a great time ..... I know we musicians did. How lucky am I - not only did I get to perform with Charity, Andrea, and Terry, but Rick Scott and David Essig sat in as well.

And to top off a great weekend, I learned that Dawson's Tumble made #2 on the Folk/Alternative charts at CHLY radio. First Nanaimo, then the world! Big thanks are due to Kenny and Winnie at Eclectic Celtic for giving me so much airplay.

Well, in addition to managing a heavy teaching load, I am also working hard to promote both my own CD and the house concerts we are hosting this fall. On Sunday I am "officially" releasing Dawson's Tumble at a party here on the island, in the place where much of the original music was conceived. Joining me are Rick, Andrea, Charity, Terry, Chris, and special guest David Essig - a stellar group of musicians and friends, performing for the wonderful community of Protection Island. Did I mention a fiddle-shaped cake????

In 10 days, Calvin Cairns and Paul O'Brien will be playing two house concerts in the area (October 5 on ProIsland, and October 6 in Lantzville). These two are a delight and I'm so excited that they'll be playing in my very own living room.....