Calvin Vollrath


Calvin Vollrath is a Canadian fiddler and composer and is one of the few European-Canadian fiddle players playing professionally in the Métis style. He lives in St. Paul, Alberta.
He won the Grand North American Old Tyme Fiddle Championship in 1985. In more recent years, he has judged the Canadian Grand Masters fiddle competition, and was awarded a Life Time Achievement Award from them in 2005. He participates in Emma Lake Fiddle Camp. He has played with various other musicians including John Arcand. Some of his music is jazz-like, some from the Métis tradition. He is an inspiration and a mentor to many Canadian fiddlers, including April Verch, Patti Kusturok, and Samantha Robichaud. Jerry Holland has composed a tune in Calvin's honour, named "Calvin, Fiddler's Idol". Calvin has represented Canadian music internationally, such as at the World Music Expo in Berlin in 2000. He became the first fiddler to play at an NHL hockey game when the Edmonton Oilers invited him to play during the Stanley Cup Finals in 1988. He has made recordings with musicians such as Ian Tyson, George Fox, Colleen Peterson, and Laura Vinson. CBC's documentary show hosted by Adrienne Clarkson aired a show about Métis fiddling that featured Calvin Vollrath and John Arcand.
He composed and performed a piece for the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Life

Calvin's love for music began at an early age. He used to mimic his father Art "Lefty" Vollrath with two butter knives. His father developed his own reputation as a great fiddler and passed on the family tradition. Calvin was raised on the Don Messer's Jubilee and at the age of 8, received his first fiddle. It was soon apparent Calvin was a natural. At 13, he entered his first fiddle contest.

Career

Vollrath has composed nearly 600 tunes and released more than 65 albums.
He wrote the theme for the international fiddle convention 'Fiddles of the World', held in Halifax in July 1999.
Vollrath was commissioned to compose 5 fiddle tunes for the Vancouver Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies in 2010. The tunes were meant to represent the various styles of fiddling our country has to offer.

Awards

He won two Grand North American Fiddle Championships and was inducted into the North American Fiddlers' Hall of Fame on 31 July 2011.

Discography

And many more, including live sessions from the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp and recordings with other musicians.