Proud family and friends packed the Gibraltar Room Saturday evening to take in Gordon Stobbe’s The Fiddle History of Canada.
Presented by the Cariboo Chilcotin Youth Fiddle Society, the performance was the culmination of two years of effort put in by the local youth fiddle society, its volunteer parents, local violin instructor Ingrid Johnston and supportive businesses.
As many as 40 musicians aged seven to 17 were a part of the performance, telling the story of the arrival of the first fiddle to Canada through fiddles, guitars, pianos, drums, singing, costumes and dance. Gordon Stobbe first developed the Fiddle History of Canada in 2010 in collaboration with Leslie Jean MacMillan, musical director of the Valley Youth Fiddlers, in Smithers. By 2012 the production was arranged by Stobbe and performed by the Valley Youth Fiddlers to rave reviews.
Soon after that, the Cariboo Chilcotin Youth Fiddle Society started the Fiddle History of Canada music program here in Williams Lake. And judging by the standing ovation given at the end of the performance, the concert was a great success.