INSTRUCTORS

Gordon Stobbe - Seaforth, Nova Scotia - Fiddle

We are so very excited to invite you to join Gord and his teaching staff this year in our second virtual Shivering Strings Winter Music Camp. He is likely the most highly sought after instructor and performer on the fiddle circuit these days. Never one to let the dust settle, Gordon keeps busy with a host of projects across Canada. His "Fiddle History of Canada" production is being workshopped and presented in several provinces, he continues to compose and tour, and will be releasing a new CD soon with some of the tunes he has composed with fellow musician and travel buddy JJ Guy. There is no room here to list all the accomplishments of this Canadian treasure, so check his website. But above all, Gordon is an inspiration to anyone who sees him perform, or teach, or call a square dance!
http://www.fiddlebooks.com

J.J. Guy - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Fiddle

A staple at the Shivering Strings fiddle camp, it was no accident that J.J. Guy took home the "People's Choice Award" at the 2013 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship in Saskatoon in August 2013! J.J. is a beloved performer and instructor who has touched the hearts of thousands of fiddlers at fiddle camps across Canada. From B.C. to the NWT to the east coast, JJ is kept hopping, teaching and performing along the way. He has several recordings under his belt, and we are lucky to snag him for Shivering Strings this year as part of his busy touring schedule.
www.jjguy.ca

Troy MacGillivray - Nova Scotia - Fiddle

Raised in Lanark, Nova Scotia, Troy has a musical prowess that can be attributed to an especially rare combination of commitment and bloodline. He has a roots-centered approach to his fiddling and piano playing that inspires audiences far and wide. You can’t help but want to move or dance when listening to him play. Yes, his is a unique and raw talent. With multiple CDs and numerous ECMAs, Music Nova Scotia and Canadian Folk Music awards and nominations to his credit, Troy balances traditional music with his own internationally acclaimed compositions. Troy displays an intense commitment to the Celtic heritage he inherited from his Highland ancestors.
http://www.troymacgillivray.com

Alex Kusturok - Cold Lake, Alberta - Fiddle

Growing up, Alex followed his mother Patti to old time dances around Manitoba where he was enriched with the Métis fiddle tradition from a very young age. By age 7, the passion for music became apparent and fiddle became the focus of Alex’s life. Throughout his musical career, Alex was active in the Canadian competition circuit, ranking high at the national and provincial levels. He has won provincial championship titles in Manitoba, BC, and Alberta, and was the 2013 Grand North American fiddle champion. Today Alex is a busy perfomer and works as an instructor on Métis settlements and reserves in Northern Alberta. He is passionate about passing along the culture as well as the music that he grew up studying.
https://alexkusturok.com/home

Donna Turk - Forget, Saskatchewan - Fiddle

Donna's adaptable teaching style molds to meet the unique needs of her students, both local and distant, who range in age from 4 to 94. Her friendly and engaging personality ensures that you learn more than how to fiddle, but also to enjoy the learning process.
Donna took an opportunity that moved her to the small village of Forget, SK where she started a new music studio with her husband Morgan, also an accomplished musician. Previously, Donna Turk had been a Calgary based fiddle teacher and performer for more then 20 years. She maintains her ties with her Calgary students through various fiddle camps in the area including the Shivering Strings Music Camp.
http://www.donnaturk.ca

Kelli Trottier - Kingston, Ontario - Fiddle

With ten recordings, three original fiddle books, an instructional stepdance DVD and over 30 years of teaching experience, Kelli is one of the most sought after fiddle instructors in the Country. She has toured much of the world and was Inducted into the North American Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame in 2018.
https://kellitrottier.com

Daniel Koulack - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Clawhammer Banjo and Bass

Daniel Koulack, whose music includes a broad range of genres, is a respected multi-instrumentalist and teacher on the Canadian music scene. Daniel was born in New York in 1965 and has lived in Winnipeg since 1968. At eleven years of age he bought a banjo with money saved up from his paper route. A year later he made his professional debut at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Daniel’s own music can be heard on his three albums of original instrumental music; “Clawhammer Your Way To The Top”, “Life On A String”, and “Frailing To Succeed”. Two of these recordings were nominated for Junos in the Best Roots/Traditional category. Daniel is also in high demand as an instructor at music camps across the country, and is a beloved mentor to many students and musicians.
http://danielkoulack.net

Stacey Read - Sackville, NB - Piano

A strong voice in the preservation of Old Time Canadian and Down East Fiddling, Stacey Read has performed for over 30 years; her first recitals at the tender age 4. A former student of Ivan and Vivian Hicks she graduated with honours from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Current president of The Maritime Fiddlers Association, she is a recognized national competitor having placed in the Top 5 at The Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championships in past years and nominated for 2 East Coast Music Awards with the Celtic group Banshee.
A consummate educator, she teaches fiddle, piano and dance to over 45 students from her studio on the historic Tantramar marshes in Sackville, New Brunswick.
From the Indianapolis Irish Festival to opening for George Jones and even an appearance for the Canadian troops at The North Pole; Read is a captivating performer.
https://www.musicnb.org/en/directory/stacey-read