The gala concert that marked the last day of the Coast School of Celtic Music drew a full house and a high-energy buzz to Rockwood Pavilion in Sechelt on Friday, July 13. Traditionally a super concert of international talent, the 12th annual did not disappoint.
About 170 students attended the week long session in Roberts Creek and organizers were happy with the triumphant return of the school after a year's break.
Concert master of ceremonies Ann Law thanked the many volunteers who stepped forward to make the music school a community event.
The show opened with the Trad Band, 39 youthful performers on stage, Scottish and Canadian alike, giving a lively flavour of music to come.
Among the performing instructors were some who had served the summer fiddle camp for many years, such as Iain Fraser from Scotland.
His support and mentorship helped begin the first session 12 years ago. Fraser led the popular teen workshop, Trad Band, along with Andy Hillhouse and James Law, an original Coast String Fiddler member currently studying applied music at Humber College.
Gordon Stobbe, traditional musician from the East Coast, has also been a favourite teacher over the years, and he performed along with a banjo-playing Steve Baughman.
There were also a few names new to the school, but not new to the public.
Niamh ni Charra, the Irish fiddler and concertina player, toured with Riverdance for eight years and lit up the stage on Friday with her smile, accompanied by American Celtic finger-style guitarist Baughman.
Roxanne Sabir stepped in as teacher at the last moment when another instructor acquired an injury. The fiddler sang a nostalgic and original composition, Flies in the Butter, along with folk choir vocalist from Scotland, Mairi Campbell, on harmonies.
The biggest round of applause went to the teacher who started it all. Michelle Bruce of Roberts Creek led the younger students in Fiddles and Skittles, but she is better known as a founder of the Coast String Fiddlers.
Bruce recalled that 20 years ago when they first started the fiddle group, now into its third generation, that one of her students, Law, was just three years old.
Bruce shared the stage with Law and several of her former students. Law and Graeme McGillivray performed one tune together with great speed and virtuosity to remind the audience of the power of those who grow up with music always in their lives.
Innes Watson's quiet, delicate guitar and Lori Watson's Scottish border tunes were a hit. The audience also heard from Cape Breton's Mairi Rankin who played and step-danced before the grand finale.
The newly renamed and reorganized Coast School of Celtic Music Society can be found at www.coastcelticmusic.com.
