Métis Fiddler Quartet Biography
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The Métis Fiddler Quartet can kick up your heels with their renowned Canadian Métis and Native old-style fiddle music! Born with proud Métis roots in Winnipeg, this versatile bilingual (French/English) family ensemble is currently based in Toronto. Siblings Alyssa, Conlin, Nicholas, and Danton continue to acquire and interpret fiddle tunes, exploring their cultural repertoire, and increasing exposure of this unique music to many different audiences.
The Métis Fiddler Quartet understands the importance of sharing this unique style of fiddle music and is dedicated to exposing and involving audiences with the unique diversity of Canadian Métis and Native fiddle music. Collaboration with other artists has been key for the group in order to ensure that these important cultural traditions are passed on to future generations.
The Métis Fiddler Quartet has been fortunate to be able to work and collaborate with other talented artists. Toronto based artist Anne Lederman has been instrumental in helping the group to develop their repertoire and sound drawing on her many years of research into Métis and Native fiddle traditions. Additionally, the group has been honoured to study and perform with accomplished Elders: Teddy Boy Houle and James Flett from Ebb and Flow, Manitoba; James Cheechoo from James Bay, Ontario; John Arcand from Debden Saskatchewan; Colin Adjun, Kugluktuk, Nunavut.
Alyssa
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Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk magnetism as a performer is obvious as soon as she takes the stage. She is a Métis string musician whose classical training has led her to explore such genres as mariachi, new music classical and contemporary repertoire, in addition to her Métis heritage music.
Alyssa presently studies Masters in viola performance at the Conservatoire de Lausanne with Gilad Karni in Switzerland. She has her Bachelors of Viola Performance from the Conservatoire Tibor Varga de Sion where Alyssa studied with Ulrich Eichenauer and Nobuko Imai. Alyssa has toured Russia with the Camerata de Lausanne, and was selected to perform in the 2008 International Mortizburg Chamber Music Festival in Germany. As an orchestral player, Alyssa toured China with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra of the Royal Conservatory of Music RCM and the U.S. and South America with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas.
As a graduate of the Young Artists’ Performance Academy of the Royal Conservatory of Music, she has an impressive list of awards to her credit including the 2006 Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival Strings Trophy Finalist, the 2004 Manitoba Music Festival Senior Strings Trophy, 2006 and 2007 National Finalist in the Canadian Music Competition, 2009 Banff Centre for the Arts and 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation Scholarships. In 2004, Alyssa was awarded the National Métis Youth Award for Arts and Culture, given for her achievements in the promotion of Métis music.
Alyssa was fortunate to receive a grant from the Ontario Arts Council to study with Ojibwe Métis fiddler, Lawrence “Teddy Boy” Houle. This collaboration set the course for the current CD release Oméigwessi Reel Métis: A Tribute to Walter Flett.
Conlin
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Conlin’s thirst for all things musical, and especially traditional, has been unwavering. He majors in Voice Performance at the University of Ottawa and is as comfortable in the realm of classical voice performance as he is in traditional Métis music making. Aside from his role of playing guitar in the Metis Fiddler Quartet, Conlin's previous experience working in the field of classical music has included performances in such productions as: the Magic Flute and Dido & Aeneas at the Glenn Gould School of music; Carmen, Cosi fan Tutte and the Dialogues of the Carmelites at the University of Ottawa; and a chorus member in the 2007 Star Mania productions at the National Arts Centre.
His love for the classical tradition reaches back to his earlier years, when at the age of 10 he was already moving between singing in the Toronto Children ’s Choir and learning the upright bass. He focused on both disciplines spending 3 years with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Young Artists Performance Academy for Double Bass and Voice, which extended his classical training and set him squarely on the path towards a career in the arts.
Conlin has won many awards including: the Davenport Music Festival Most Outstanding Singer, the Hamilton Kiwanis Most Promising Intermediate Voice, and third place in Nationals in the Canadian Music Competition.
Nicholas
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Nicholas is an avid performing artist and music educator. He is devoted to both classical and Métis traditional music. In addition to playing with the Métis Fiddler Quartet, Nicholas performs regularly in orchestras and as a chamber musician in Toronto.
Nicholas began his musical studies before the age of three. As he attended his older brother and sister's violin classes since a newborn, he was so intrigued by the violin the teacher gave him his first lesson at 15 months old. After many years of violin training, he made his début to the broadcast screen as the young performing artist in the 2003 VisionTV production, Come Into the Parlour: A Student Recital. After graduating from the Young Artists Performance Academy of the Royal Conservatory of Music under Marie Bérard, Nicholas continues his violin performance studies with international violin soloist and Via Salzburg Artistic Director Mayumi Seiler at the Glenn Gould School.
With a keen interest in sharing music and his passion for artistic multi-disiplinary collaborations, Nicholas demonstrated his artistic direction with the music arrangement for the Métis Fiddler Quartet in the 2009 National Aboriginal Acheivement Awards standing ovation performance with the Métis dance group, the Asham Stompers.
In the past, Nicholas has been awarded a multitude of scholarships through various musical bodies such as the 2004 Junior Strings Finalist Trophy at the Hamilton Kiwanis Music Festival, the Toronto Kiwanis Music Festivals, and the 2008 Burlington Music Festival String Finalist Trophy. Nicholas was awarded the Most Outstanding Concerto Performance in the 2009 Winnipeg Music Festival.
Aside from his performances, Nicholas has been honoured to present Métis fiddle music to many audiences as an educator. He has presented for such events as the Ontario Ministery of Education: Aboriginal Awareness conferences; and in-class workshops at schools for Toronto and Durham district school boards.
Danton
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Danton commands the stage and captivates audiences performing with the Metis Fiddler Quartet. Like his older siblings, Danton started playing music at a very early age. He began his cello studies at the age of 3 and piano at the age of 6.
Danton is quickly catching up to his bothers and sister in the Métis Fiddler Quartet by garnering awards such as the Newmarket Music Festival, Peel Music Festival, and the Toronto Kiwanis music festival music scholarships, as well as, the 2008 Burlington Music Festival Intermediate String Finalist. Also, Danton captured Honours with Distinction for his Royal Conservatory of Music Grade 7 piano exam. He studies cello at the Royal Conservatory of Music with renowned cellist Joowon Kim, and he studies jazz piano with award winning musician Elizabeth Shepherd in Toronto.
Danton takes the stage for live performance or television interviews with the same ease and evident enjoyment. He has also appeared on the only French educational Ontario TV series, Mégallô, in the 2008 Fall broadcast on Télé-Française d'Ontario TFO as a young performing artist. Danton made his debut singing performance with the MFQ at the 2008 Ontario Folk Festivals conference singing “Une mere”, a French Metis residential school song.
Danton’s other musical interests include learning old time rock ‘n’ rock on ascoustic and electric guitar. If he is not performing or practicing his music, Danton is training as a Provincial gymnast. He was the 2007 Level 1 Ontario provincial champ on vault and silver medalist on floor at his first provincial meet.
