Patti Kusturok (Lamoureux) (/ˈkʌstəˌrɒk/ KUS-tə-rok[1]) is a Canadian fiddler, performer, teacher, and composer who is known as "Canada's old-time fiddling sweetheart."[2] She resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba where she teaches fiddling. She performs frequently in addition to teaching at workshops and music camps each summer. She has taught at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp, Shivering Strings Fiddle Camp in Winnipeg, and Falcon Lake Fiddle Camp.[3][4] Her son, Alex Kusturok is also a champion fiddler.[5]
Patti Kusturok | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Known for | Fiddle |
| Children | Alex Kusturok |
| Honours | Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion, Inductee in the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame |
| Website | https://www.pattikusturok.com/home |
Kusturok began playing fiddle at age four according to the Suzuki Method.[2] Her playing is characterized by a pulsating, rhythmical lilt and often referred to as one of the "smoothest fiddle players in North America." Patti has attributed her playing style to having a loose bowing wrist and allowing her fingers to move on the bow as she is playing.[6] Her style is described as part Métis and part Québecois.[7] Her musical influences include Calvin Vollrath, Reg Bouvette and Graham Townsend.[8] Lamoureux explained to CBC SCENE host Bruce Ladan (CBC Manitoba) that she has learned a lot about playing the fiddle by teaching it. After she mastered the instrument, she started teaching when she was 16 years old, taking over for her teacher when he retired.[9] "Being kind of a natural player and not having trouble learning, it was great to learn that other people don't always learn that way," she recalled. "So I learned how to teach by teaching. People would ask me why my bowing arm was so smooth. I had to analyze how I gripped it, as well as the pressure, that kind of thing."[10]
In 2015 she published 365 videos of herself playing a new fiddle tune every day in an event called "Patti Kusturok's 365 Days of Fiddle Tunes."[11][12][13] In 2019, Kusturok published an additional 365 videos of herself playing a new fiddle tune every day in an event titled "2019-Patti Kusturok's 365 Days of Fiddle Tunes."[14]
Awards edit
- Canadian Junior Fiddle Champion (1985)
- 3 time Champion at the Pembroke, ON fiddle competition
- 6 time Manitoba Fiddle Champion
- 3 time Grand North American Champion
- Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship in Ottawa, ON (1994, 1995, 1996). Kusturok was the first woman in the history of Canada to win the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship and the very first winner from Western Canada.[7][15]
- Induction into the Manitoba Fiddle Association Hall of Fame (2010)
- Induction into the North American Fiddlers' Hall of Fame (July 31, 2016)
Albums edit
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1981 | Fiddle Fingers[16] |
| 1983 | Cross Canada Fiddling[17] |
| 1984 | Bowing the Strings |
| 1985 | Prairie Fire[18] |
| 1987 | A Touch of Heritage[19] |
| 1988 | The King and the Princess (with Reg Bouvette) |
| 1993 | More Old Time Fiddling [20] |
| 1994 | 20 Years of Fiddling. Vol. 1 [21] |
| 1994 | 20 Years of Fiddling. Vol. 2 [22] |
| 1997 | Stringin' Them Along |
| 2000 | Y2Kusturok[23] |
| 2001 | I'm Not Done Yet |
| 2006 | Encore |
| 2008 | Once More... With Feel... |
| 2010 | Plums in the Cooler |
| 2012 | 100% Danceable |
| 2014 | Milestone |
| 2018 | Momentum |
References edit
- ^ "Day 1 - Graham's Hornpipe - Patti Kusturok's 365 Days of Fiddle Tunes". YouTube. January 2, 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Patti Kusturok - North American Fiddlers' Hall of Fame". Manitoba Fiddle Association. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ "Instructors". Falcon Lake Fiddle Camp. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ "International Music Camp Fiddlers Hall of Fame". Manitoba Fiddle Association. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ "Alex Kusturok". Ryan Keplin. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ "A Patti Kusturok Interview about Old-Time Fiddling and Learning to Play - StringVibe". StringVibe. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ a b "The Solstice Concerts". The Solstice Concerts. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ Prest, Ashley (2016-08-02). "Winnipeg fiddler named one of North America's best". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ "fiddling-champion-turns-to-skype-to-teach-others-1.2563867. Sandra Thacker, Fiddling Champion Turns to Skype to Teach Others, March 8, 2014, CBC News".
- ^ "manitoba/fiddling-champion-turns-to-skype-to-teach-others-1.2563867. Sandra Thacker, Fiddling Champion Turns to Skype to Teach Others, March 8, 2014, CBC News".
- ^ "Winnipeg fiddle player posts 365th video of herself playing a new tune, completes year-long goal". CBC News. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ Music, Manitoba. "Patti Kusturok's 365 Days of Fiddle Tunes". Indigenous Music. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ gwo798. "Patti Kusturok -- 365 Days of Fiddle Tunes -- Made in Manitoba". PembinaValleyOnline.com. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "2019-Patti Kusturok's 365 Days of Fiddle Tunes".
- ^ "Top Canadian Grand Master Champions | Canadian Grand Masters (CGMFA-ACGMV)". cgmfa-acgmv.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
- ^ Fiddle fingers, P. Kusturok, 1983, OCLC 79810551, retrieved 2018-03-11
- ^ Cross Canada fiddling, Goodtyme Productions, 1985, OCLC 694371149, retrieved 2018-03-10
- ^ Prairie fire, [Patti Kusturok], 1986, OCLC 765915909, retrieved 2018-03-11
- ^ A touch of heritage, Banff, 1987, OCLC 85415520, retrieved 2018-03-11
- ^ More old time fidddling [sic, Patti Kusturok, 1993, OCLC 55099423, retrieved 2018-03-11
- ^ 20 years of fiddling. Vol. 1 Vol. 1, Patti Kusturok, 1994, OCLC 55097239, retrieved 2018-03-11
- ^ 20 years of fiddling. Vol. II Vol. II, Patti Kusturok, 1994, OCLC 55099344, retrieved 2018-03-11
- ^ Y2Kusturok, Patti Kusturok, 2000, OCLC 55096340, retrieved 2018-03-10