Presented by Deep Cove Folk Music Society, fiddler Nellie Quinn will be performing as part of a place she truly calls home.
Growing up in North Saanich, Quinn has been attending Deep Cove Folk recitals since she was a little girl, something she did with her father.
“For me Nellie is truly from North Saanich … and if anyone who could be truly said to be from the folk club it would be her,” said Bob de Wolff, Deep Cove Folk Club director.
Deep Cove was also the first place Quinn played the fiddle live.
“I would do the open mic night so it was always really friendly since they knew me before I even played the fiddle,” she said.
After playing for about five years, Quinn got up the courage to start playing at the club and has been ever since.
Quinn will be returning to Deep Cove on Feb. 18 for her CD release concert with fellow musician and friend, Chris Meredith.
“I’ve played the folk club twice now as a feature performer …” said Quinn, adding she performed there with Meredith a couple years ago.
She said coming back to Deep Cove to perform feels like home.
“It’s always just like coming back home,” she said. “It’s just like playing in your house when you play at that folk club, at least for me.”
Quinn said the important thing about this concert is that it’s about community, which is what has helped her along in her fiddling career.
“If I didn’t have the friends and that community support, there’s no way I would still be playing the fiddle,” she said.
The concert will also include special guests including Daniel Lapp’s British Columbia Fiddle Orchestra. Other guests include fiddler Ivonne Hernandez (one of Quinn’s former teachers) and two of Quinn’s students, Nika Marefat and Nicole Sinnett.
She said after studying and playing for so many years, now is her chance to get the next generation of fiddlers going.
Quinn currently teaches the students at a studio in her parents’ Sidney home, Fiddlesticks Studio. She extendeds her teaching into in Victoria and even the Northwest Territories.
“The two students that I’ve asked to join me they’ve been my students for three years ever since I moved back from the U.K.,” she said.
She lived overseas for four years to attend school there, which is where she also met Meredith.
“I’m really excited because not only do I have my teachers coming to support me in my first album release, but I also have my students that are the next generation coming up.”
Meredith, a Scotsman, will be coming over from New Castle to perform with Quinn.
“He has always been one of my favourite fiddle players, which is funny because he plays more guitar since I play mainly fiddle.”
Their new album titled The Greenside Sessions is their first album together and is both the Scottish and Canadian folk music coming together.
The two will be doing a release tour in North America in the coming months but for Quinn it was important to start the tour in her hometown.
And for her, the most rewarding moments are with her students.
“It’s not the massive concerts in the States playing for 50,000 people — it’s always the one on one lesson with the student, who just have that break through moment and you just see that in their eyes,” said Quinn.
For de Wolff — who is excited to be hosting Quinn’s CD release tour — he said it’s like coming full circle, as she is also taking on some roles within the club.
“Shortly after I arrived our attendance was kind of low and then she came and it was the first sell out we had in years,” he said.
Hosted by CBC’s Robyn Burns, Quinn, Meredith and special guests will perform at the Mary Winspear Centre on Feb. 18. Tickets can be purchased through the Winspear at 250-656-0275, Deep Cove Folk at deepcovefolk.ca or at the door.
• • • •
Coming up, Deep Cove Folk will be bringing in Bryan Bowers, who plays the autoharp. He will perform the week before Quinn on Feb. 10.