Canadian Heritage committee  I'll refer to the example of playing guitar, which was mentioned earlier. There are great guitarists in every genre of guitar—Spanish, flamenco, rock and roll, whatever. In the fiddle and in the violin vein, it's the same thing. I think you're right that we have to expand the m

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes.

Canadian Heritage committee  That's an interesting story. I was a classically trained pianist and then later in life I lived in Cape Breton where I was the odd man out because I didn't play fiddle. Unlike Alexander's experience, there everybody seems to have an interest in it or plays it. So at age 40 I pick

Canadian Heritage committee  Two years, yes, and it's one year to submission. As soon as you announce this national fiddling day, we look forward to having that as one of the flagship events for the celebration of the 150th.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. With the upcoming 150th, I envisage a couple of things. One is exactly what you said—having location events all across the country under the umbrella of the national fiddling day but giving some structure to it, because we want to make it uniquely Canadian. With technology t

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. The day identified is May 17. That's the third Saturday in May. The World Fiddle Day people identified that day as the date of the death of Stradivari because they did not know his date of birth.

Canadian Heritage committee  So they've identified it.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think I hear three questions there. I'll take them in order. Number one, how do I see this day helping fiddlers across the country? I'll use an example. Last year on World Fiddle Day, through our board of directors, we contacted people and asked if there was anything going on

Canadian Heritage committee  I'll just look at five. I'm adding up for five festivals right now, and I'm seeing 10,000 in that number. If you add up the smaller ones that I'm aware of across the country, you can add on, let's say, 40,000 or 50,000 people who will attend these across Canada in a year. That do

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee members, Senator Hubley, and fellow witnesses, good afternoon and bonjour. Thank you for your kind invitation. I'm here today representing the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association, an organization devoted to the preservation and advanc