It’s not every day you get to learn something from someone who does it best, but that’s exactly the case for some Saskatoon fiddle students.
All week, a group of students at St. Michael Community School have been writing and composing a song with Juno Award-winning fiddler — and Saskatoon’s own — Karrnnel Sawitsky. It’s a song they will later record professionally in a studio.
“It’s going to be one of those life events that they’ll always remember,” said Sawitsky. “Having that CD at the end of the project is just going to be spectacular for them, and also for the fiddle program and the music program in general.”
The fiddle class is part of the curriculum at St. Michael Community School. Every student grades five through eight learns to play. The musical matchup with Sawitsky was made possible by the Saskatchewan Arts Board.
“We’re so thankful to the Saskatchewan Arts Board for allowing us this opportunity for the grant, in order to enhance everything that we’ve been doing here at the school,” said fiddle teacher Cristin Dorgan Lee.
Dorgan Lee said composing the music has been a challenge, but all her students are embracing it.
“This isn’t something that we get to do all the time, so it’s really awesome to have Karrnnel with his experience creating fiddle tunes,” said Dorgan Lee. “He’s an avid composer, so we’re really lucky to have his expertise.”
Damien James Caron, who’s in grade seven, has been playing the fiddle for two years.
“I think it’s great, because it’s part our of Metis culture,” said James Caron. “I just feel happy that all my friends are there learning it with me.”
Sawitsky and the students will record the music in May.
