​Congratulations to: Michael Audette, Brendan Chartrand, Jane Cory, and Simon Reimer.
They represented Manitoba at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition in Morinville, AB from August 26 - 28, 2016.
We are proud to have you represent our province!

The Manitoba Fiddle Association held the Wall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremonies on Sunday, April 26th at the Carman Community Hall in Carman, MB.

We are proud to announce our 2015 inductees:

Cecil Isliefson - Fiddler (posthumously)
Alvin Clark - Fiddler
Luella Noble - Accompanist
Noreen Pongoski - accompanist

Follow the link to the 2015 Wall of Fame Inductee page for photos.

Bob Kuzak was inducted into the International Music Camp Fiddlers Hall of Fame on June 6, 2014. When Bob was 8-9 years old he took group violin lessons with the Canadian Institute of Music and later, some private lessons, with the Bornoff School of Music. Near the end of the war years in 1944-1945, he played Soldiers Joy and Devils Dream for the soldiers who came to visit at his house. He cut a finger of his left hand and that was the end of his fiddle playing. For the next 50 years, he rarely picked up his fiddle except to play for his mother. She always encouraged him to play along with her singing.

In 1990, when he retired from the Manitoba Telephone System, he started to play again, mostly Ukrainian tunes that he heard his mother sing. As well, he tried to learn tunes from the radio program Polka Party. When Cecil Isleifson repaired his fiddle, he invited him to come to a practice at the Southglen Trailer Park. He joined the Southglen Fiddlers in 1994 and was impressed that all of these seniors could read music and that they knew about key signatures etc. To learn to read music, he went to the public library and picked up some fiddle books. After about a year, he could look at music and play it slowly. In the summer of 1995, he went to the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp. Patti Kusturok was his Emma Lake teacher. The fiddle camp method is to teach you to play, by ear, a waltz, a jig and a reel. This would allow you to enter a fiddle contest. In February of 1999, Bob entered his first fiddle contest, at the Festival du Voyageur, and came third in the seniors category. In 2002, he managed a first.

The first time that Bob notated music was for Cecil Isleifson, who asked him to write out “Rooster on the Fence”. To the best of his ability, he wrote it out, and that was the start of his notating music. Bob has since, been notating the music of Manitoba fiddlers such as Andy Dejarlis, Reg Bouvette, Eugene Laderoute. These notations are being sent to some 110 fiddlers across Canada and the USA as well as to a fiddler in New Zealand and another in Holland. His hobby has put him into contact with many fiddlers across Canada and the USA. In the coming years, he hopes to write out the many tunes that he still has pending in his files, and as well, those tunes that come to the fore.

Bob believes that fiddle playing is an important part of our culture and that the music of our local fiddlers should be preserved. 

Congratulations to Allison Granger for her 2013 Canadian Country Music Award. She received the Fiddler of the year award on September 7, 2013  for her work touring with Gord Bamford.

Allison was born in Brandon, MB and is the daughter of Brian Granger, a renowned MB fiddle player, and Dorothy Granger, an accomplished keyboardist, both of whom are members of the Manitoba Fiddle Association Wall of Fame in the builder category.

Allison is a world class fiddler who got an early start with the violin at the age of four with most of her classical training at Brandon University. As a 13 year old, she was a member/teacher/leader of the Fantasy Fiddlers.  She then moved to Calgary at 16 and joined the group Barrage, which she travelled the world. Celebrated as a soloist, she excelled in the theatrical production with tours throughout 3 continents. This included national television and film production, live/studio recording and commercial/radio broadcasts. She shared the stage with many acts including Moby, Alanis Morrisette, Bare Naked Ladies, Great Big Sea, Blue Rodeo, Tammy Wynette, Patricia Conroy, Jann Arden, Michelle Wright, Wild Strawberries, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, and Ashley MacIssac, to name a few. As part of a two hour documentary centered on a tour throughout Europe, she was part of a BBC broadcast for over 10 million viewers live. Nominated for a Gemini Award for Canada’s 2002 Canada Day performance on Parliament Hill, Allison as a part of Barrage then filmed a two hour performance special, which was broadcast on PBS, BBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, CBC, and affiliates, She has performed live on the Blue Peter Show, Barrymore Show in the UK, the German Television Awards, and at numerous corporate events for giants of industry. She has performed live for HRH Prince Charles, Prince Albert of Monaco, the Saudi Royal Family and numerous dignitaries and leaders of state, and has even shared a court with the NBA Phoenix Suns! Performing live for millions of people regularly, she has toured the globe for 15 years to date. After being dedicated to Barrage without a single missed performance, she resigned at the age of 22. Since, Allison has performed with numerous Musical Acts, and Country artists (Gord Bamford, Jake Matthews, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Lisa Brokop, Tebey, Tim Hicks, Small Town Pistols, Dallas Smith, Aaron Pritchett, etc.)! She was nominated for “Fiddler of the Year”, in both 2004 + 2005 Canadian Country Music Awards! She recorded an album with George Canyon as well. She has also supported our troupes by bringing them the joy of music, not only in Afghanistan, but also in Bosnia, Dubai (2008) and Alert(The North Pole). She then was nominated for “Soundtrack of the Year” at the Canadian Film Awards; a project entitled “Shredded”, a National Film Board Documentary. Since, she has dedicated herself to Music of all genres and even toured nationally with a few groups of her own creation. She is honored to receive this years CCMA  "Fiddler of The Year" Award for her work with Gord Bamford, who picked up 5 CCMA awards himself. 

With Bamford, she will be touring Canada as part of the Reba McEntire Canadian Tour.

Congratulations, Allison! We are proud of your accomplishments.

Mel Bedard was inducted into the International Music Camp's Fiddlers Hall of Fame in June 2013 within the Metis fiddler category. Mel has been involved at the International Music Camp's fiddle contest, he has played at many social functions, and has been on tour in Canada, the USA, and Ireland.  He performed on radio in Belcourt, ND, on CBC radio, and at a Canada Day Celebration in Ottawa.  Mel was also a contest adjudicator.  He recorded and wrote fiddle tunes for over 50 years, including Happy Go Lucky Boy Waltz and Andy & Mel.  He restored tunes that had been lost, including Lower Fort Garry Jig and Lost Child.  Mel also played with the Southglen Fiddlers.

Henri Hince was inducted into the International Music Camp Fiddlers Hall of Fame on Friday June 7, 2013.

Henri Hince grew up in St. Claude, Manitoba and has been playing since he was 11 yrs. old. He was greatly influenced by both his father who played the fiddle and his grandfather who taught him how to jig. He has composed over 20 songs, many of which are on his CD “Reflections of Dreams”. Henri is an accomplished fiddle player with over 40 wins from contests, many in the Seniors’ category. He is 84 years young and is a member of the Southglen Fiddlers. He has also won 1st prize in Saskatoon for jigging for all of Western Canada.

Henri and his wife Cecile have taught jigging at the International Music Camp.