“Oméigwessi” the Ojibwe Ukrainian
As Alyssa embraces her Ukrainian cultural along with her French Métis roots, it was only nature to call her debut CD Oméigwessi (Ukrainian): Reel Métis, a tribute to Walter Flett.
Omé igwessi was the nickname of Manitoba old-time fiddler Walter Flett, and it means Ukrainian in Ojibwe. Walter Flett, born in 1906, learned to play the fiddle from his father and older brothers. His fiddling style reflects the musical language of the Métis as far back as the early fur trade. Walter Flett passed on the fiddling traditions to his stepson, Lawrence Houle and his son James Flett. Omé igwessi Reel Métis pays tribute to the late Walter Flett for his life long contributions to old-time Métis fiddling in Canada.
Alyssa along with her brothers, Conlin, Nicholas, and Danton Delbaere-Sawchuk come from a strong family background of music lovers. Their paternal Ukrainian grandfather also had a family folk band and played for many Manitoban Ukrainian weddings and dances, while their maternal Métis great grandfather Nault was know to dig up the dirt with a mean jig.
Alyssa began her formal music training at the age of 3 under the Suzuki violin method. This set the path for her younger brothers' musical development. Conlin fiddled for a few years with his older sister in the Winnipeg Tartan Fiddlers, a local children's ensemble, and continued to explore several different instruments such as the piano and the double bass, before choosing to settle on the guitar and singing. While much of the group's early formal training was classical, it was only natural to fiddle when grandpa Sawchuk brought out his accordion.
After relocating to Toronto from Winnipeg, the Métis Fiddler Quartet were fortunate to meet Anne Lederman. Anne has been instrumental in helping the group to develop their repertoire and sound based on her many years of experience and research into Métis fiddle traditions. While they continue their studies in classical music, the Métis Fiddler Quartet enjoy loosening up and having fun with their old time Métis music, and are presently working on their Canadian Ukrainian repertoire to share with their audiences. The Métis Fiddler Quartet continues to acquire new fiddle tunes to expose their culture to many different audiences.
In 2007, the Métis Fiddler Quartet collaborated with accomplished Ojibwe musicians and elders, James Flett and Teddy Boy Houle. Together they performed at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre for the 2007 Canada Day celebrations, as well as at the 2007 Métis Arts Festival.
Recent Awards Toronto Exclusive Magazine
2007 MUSIC AWARDS
Best Folk Instrumental
Métis Fiddler Quartet "Hang Man's Waltz"
Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk
Alyssa began her musical studies on violin at the age of 3 and presently studies viola performance at the Haute École de Musique Tibor Varga with Urich Eichenhauer and Nobuko Imai in Sion, Switzerland. Alyssa has also studied with David Zafer and Mayumi Seiler in Toronto. She has toured China with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra of the RCM, and the US and South America with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas. As a graduate of the Young Artists' Performance Academy at the RCM, she has won several awards such as the 2006 Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival Strings Trophy Finalist, the 2004 Manitoba Music Festival Senior Strings, and many musical scholarships. In 2004, she was awarded the National Métis Youth Award for Arts and Culture for her work in promoting Métis culture through Métis fiddling performances across the nation. Alyssa’s fiddle could be heard on the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards for the 2007 awards ceremony.
Alyssa will be performing in Toronto, on Feb 13, 2008.
For more information and to listen to music
http://www.sonicbids.com/MetisFiddlerQuartet
http://www.myspace.com/omeigwessi