By Meghan Power
Shivering Strings is a collective of fiddle workshops that are held across Canada, in January and February; hence, the name “shivering strings”. These workshops have been happening for over a decade in Truro (NS), Saskatoon (SK), Winnipeg (MB) and Calgary (AB).
The concept for these workshops came from renowned Canadian fiddler, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and Order of Canada recipient (2017), Gordon Stobbe. Originally from Saskatchewan, Gordon’s model for these workshops have been rooted in his commitment to the preservation of fiddle music and creating communities where fiddlers of all ages, all levels of ability, and varying backgrounds can come together to practice and learn new techniques in a diverse range of fiddle styles played across the country including: Métis, old-time, Celtic.
Since 2017, Sheila has been organizing and overseeing the logistics of this annual event. Over the years, she has seen a lot of change in the Alberta arts and culture landscape, including the rising costs for small, amateur music groups to find spaces to rent for events and workshops. “We rely on funding from Calgary Arts Development (CADA) each year to make this annual workshop possible for the amateur musicians that count on it as a space where they can develop their craft as fiddlers and make music with a community of music lovers,” Sheila explains.
Funding from CADA helps Shivering Strings keep the cost of registration low for participants. “It’s also essential in helping us to hire and pay professional instructors. A big part of what keeps participants coming back is our instructors, who have exceptional skill when it comes to teaching and working with large groups of people.” In 2024, Shivering Strings Calgary instructors and performers included: Gordon Stobbe, creator of Shivering Strings (Nova Scotia), JJ Guy (Saskatoon, SK); Donna Turk (Forget, Sk); Randy Jones (High River, AB), and Troy McGillivray (Nova Scotia).
“I, personally, am very grateful for this grant,” says Sheila. “It gives me hope that Alberta and Calgary appreciate the importance of supporting amateur musicians. It brings people together who may never meet otherwise—religion and politics are left at the door. What you do for a living is not of any interest, but what tune you would like to play certainly is.” Sheila also feels strongly about ensuring this event remains accessible to all who want to participate. “Our participants come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. It is so important to remove the barrier of affordability for events like ours, that contributes so much to each person’s sense of belonging within a community.”