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Annual B.C. fiddle retreat a toe-tapping good time

The retreat was held at Gavin Lake last month
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Musicians take a class outside during the B.C. Fiddle ‘Treat at Gavin Lake last month. Rosemarie Way photo

Jean Gelinas

Observer Contributor

The 25th year of the BC Fiddle ‘Treat at Gavin Lake’ was held on July 16-22 – a week earlier than our usual date, but that did not affect attendance or enthusiasm. From its beginning in Wells in 1994 with six instructors and 35 students, we have grown to a camp of 200 including 150 students of all ages, family members, instructors, kitchen staff and volunteers. Students came from all parts of B.C., and as far away as Halifax and Washington State.

Instructors Gordon Stobbe from Nova Scotia and JJ Guy from Saskatchewan were back to join the line-up of some of B.C.’s most gifted instructors (including our own from Quesnel, Prince George and Williams Lake) who took on the task of teaching fiddle, piano, guitar, mandolin, accordion and banjo. Stobbe takes on extra responsibilities by organizing evening events, especially teaching and calling square and pattern dances. We’re proud to acknowledge he is the 2018 recipient of the Order of Canada. A special treat was having Kimberley Holmes from Nova Scotia as a fiddle instructor. She is well known in the fiddle world having performed, taught and toured extensively in the eastern provinces.

The typical day began at 8 a.m. with breakfast and morning announcements. Group lessons and open sessions occured between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., with two coffee breaks and lunch in between. There was time for canoeing and swimming, with a lifeguard on duty. For a change of pace, one afternoon was dedicated to canoe races, with stiff competition to make sure someone gets wet. After the evening meal at 6 p.m. instructors and students provided music for the evening dance, which usually went until 10. For those with leftover energy, there was a campfire by the lake.

Cabin accommodation was available, but there was little privacy because all cabins were shared and also used for instruction. Most people preferred camping, which was anything from 20-foot motorhomes to sleeping in the back of the car. Meals were served in the main hall, a busy, noisy time to socialize as well as eat. Then the instructors with their student groups took turns doing their dishes, wiping tables and tidying the dining area. That system was suggested by some of the instructors a number of years ago, a wonderful idea that has become an established part of the camp.

For the past number of years the task of organizing the camp has been led by Jean Gelinas, Rosemarie Way, Romley Goulet and Ray Plamondon, with the support of the Quesnel Fiddlers. But as the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child”: it also takes a wider community to run a successful camp. Thanks to Daniel Lapp for getting the instructors, Gertrude Uri from Prince George who helped us find kitchen staff, Pete Amyoony from Dunster and Brian Garland from Williams Lake for a variety of services. We are fortunate to have students that also help by donating garden produce, eggs, meat and baking. Marie Gibbons from Williams Lake baked and donated 100 dozen cookies! It all helped and was really appreciated.

Jean Gelinas is one of the organizers of the annual B.C. Fiddle ‘Treat.