By Steve Muise
The 2014-15 Franklin County Fiddlers have just returned from a fantastic, action-packed 8 day cultural exchange of the Canadian Maritimes.
The fiddlers started off by performing three school concerts at the Great Salt Bay School and the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Damariscotta area. They also presented a fiddling workshop with all of the FCF members participating in teaching under the direction of Steve Muise. The fiddlers also got to visit the historic Damariscotta shell middens and fish ladder.
The next day the fiddlers crossed the border to take a workshop in traditional Maritime step-dancing with a great teacher, Jocelyne Bourque in Moncton, New Brunswick. That same night, the fiddlers participated and performed in a lively traditional jam session at Le Club D’Age D’or.
On Friday, the fiddlers had a tour of the University of Moncton and the Acadian Museum there, and they also performed for university students and staff in le Resto 63. After a visit to the famous Hopewell Rocks at low tide, the fiddlers went on to Truro, Nova Scotia to participate and perform in the Maritime Fiddlers Association annual workshop.
On Sunday, the fiddlers enjoyed exploring Citadel Hill in Halifax, Nova Scotia before visiting and performing at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic during the afternoon.
On Monday, the fiddlers had a tour of Dalhousie University before heading over the Confederation Bridge to P.E.I. Tuesday was yet another action-packed day, when the fiddlers performed at 2 french speaking schools: L’École-Évangéline in Abrams Village, P.E.I. and also at L’´École-sur-mer in Summerside, P.E.I. It was an honor to present traditional fiddle music with the “Franklin County Fiddlers” unique sound, and to present these concerts in French. The afternoon brought an awesome culminating workshop with the phenomenal traditional band, “Vishten” at the Guild in Charlottetown, P.E.I. The fiddlers were thrilled to learn new tunes and dance steps from Pastelle, Emma and Pascal from Vishten, and we were able to share the Vishten tunes that we learned preparing for the trip with them.
All throughout, the fiddlers were stellar representatives of the Mt. Blue Regional School District community. Compliments abounded from chaperones, customs officers, restaurant and hotel staffs, schools, teachers, clinicians, and community members. . . the fiddlers left their “print” during each encounter, always with smiles!
The Franklin County Fiddlers would like to especially thank the chaperones: Ken Charles, Mitra Luick and Debby Muise for their kindness, generosity and care over the course of the trip. The fiddlers would also like to thank the many folks who have volunteered over the course of the year: Rob Rogers for organizing the Farmington area nursing home initiative, Catherine Rogers and Michelle Guillaume for organizing gift bags containing locally made maple syrup and FCF stickers that the fiddlers shared with clinicians, organizers and helpful folks along the trip, Jonathan Cohen for accounting for the fiddlers trip finances, Jody Harmon for her work with the Fiddler’s account at MBHS, the parents who helped with transportation to the nursing home initiative: Claire Andrews, Rob Rogers, Catherine Rogers, and Steve McCarthy. Thanks also to Vickie Cohen for organizing food for both the Strawberry Hill Fiddlers visit, but for the bus as well. Thank you to the John and Kathleen Hickey for hosting a fiddle jam to collect donations to support the fiddlers trip. Thank you to everyone who has donated money or services to support the fiddlers voyage. Thanks to all who provided performance and fund raising opportunities, especially the Weld Ladies’ Auxiliary. Thanks to all of the parents who brought food for the fiddlers to share on the bus. Thanks to Wal-mart for a grant to purchase a new keyboard and road case for the fiddlers program. Thanks to Signworks for the design of the great new FCF banner. Thanks to Cyr bus for working with us to make this trip possible. Thank you to Pastelle LeBlanc for helping us organize our visits to the French schools on P.E.I. Thanks to Rodney Hall for the beautiful and well-received decorative bottles of maple syrup.
Thanks to anyone that I have forgotten to list, but know that you are appreciated. Thanks especially to the fine folks that we met along the trip. . . we feel like our hearts are full of friendship, music and love, the hospitality that the fiddlers enjoyed during the trip was second to none. Thank you to the MBRSD administration and school board for supporting and allowing this special kind of educational experience and cultural exchange.
Thank you especially to the wonderful students in the Franklin County Fiddlers: Ben Andrews, Grace Andrews, Greg Baxter, Kelsey Brann, Meg Charles, Jennie Chen, Miriam Cohen, Anna Glass, Mitch Guillaume, Thad Gunther, Brendan Hickey, Maggie Hickey, Zoe Huish, Jack Leopold, River Lisius, Roshan Luick, Thomas Marshall, Abby McCarthy, Emily McCarthy, Julia Ramsey, Nolan Rogers, and Kayla White. I am so proud of your musicianship, but more proud of your citizenship, maturity and kindness. You are NOT AFRAID TO BE AWESOME, and I’m humbled and honored to be your teacher! And lastly, thank you to the MBRSD community who supports music in our schools and programs like the Franklin County Fiddlers.
Sounds like a fabulous trip filled with many, many experiences you will enjoy sharing with both family and friends for many years. These memories will come to mind for you for the rest of your life! I know!
I went on a week long trip to New York Zity for our church youth group when I was 16 years old, Here I am now just a few months from 70 years old and these memories still come to me as though that trip happened last week.
Congratulations to each o you and thank you for sharing a bit of Maine culture with our Canadian neighbors to the North and East.
A million thanks to Steve & Deb Muise for all they do! And to everyone who worked to make this trip possible. And bravo to the Fiddlers who are obviously very awesome!
And thanks to you, Steve Muise, for all you do for our kids and community!
This community is UNBELIEVABLY blessed to have a teacher like you Steve whose kindness and generosity inspire all of us, students and parents alike, to want to make the world a better place and fill it with the music of our hearts!!!! Deep gratitude!
Heartwarming story. Congratulations, kids, and also to all your parents, teachers and supporters.
Thank you beyond words and exclamations !!!! to Steve for teaching young people, students and our entire community about the most important things in life. Mt. Blue RSD is so fortunate to have you and Debby here in our community.
Amazing group we are so lucky to have them in our community. Thanks to all involved.
What an amazing educational trip for all. Nice job by all who made it happen. These memories will last a lifetime .
Steven, you’ve done it again! This community is blessed by your talent and willingness to share it with the students and families of the area. YOU are AWESOME and a terrific example to all teachers of how to get students engaged and loving what they learn. Hugs!
Congratulations to Steve, Deb, and each and every Fiddler in the group! You are awesome, and I am so proud to see the effect you have and the impression you make — internationally, now!
So proud of these great young people and those who lead.. I have great reports back from people in the business who are in the know and very impressed with this ensemble..
It is a proven fact, students who are involved in music do better in life. The sad thing is, when budget cuts are looked at in any school system, sports and music are the first on the table. They should never even be considered for cuts, ev’ah.
Steve and Debbie Muise are indeed a Franklin County treasures. Thanks for all you do for the youth of this county.
Thank you, Steve, for NOT BEING AFRAID TO BE AWESOME! You are a golden example for students, teachers, parents and community members of RSU 9. You have a legacy of fantastic students, you will enjoy for years to come. (trust me!) Outstanding musicians don’t just happen, it is trips like this one that awaken that spark. You are one of Farmington’s, Franklin county’s, Maine’s and the USA’s true treasures. We are blessed. Merci beaucoup mon ami!
I feel so incredibly lucky and honored to have travelled with these fine young human beings. How is it possible that for 8 straight days 26 people experienced one joyous moment after another as the Fiddlers spread their special magic everywhere we went? I have the answer now that I’ve experienced the magic first hand. The answer is, “Mr. Steve Muise.”
Then there’s that old adage, “Behind every great man…….” Could this trip have been pulled off without Debby Muise? No way! While Steve was in charge of the magic part, Debby was the glue that kept it all together. And Ken and I simply followed their awesome lead :)
Whether we were walking into our hotel, a performance venue, a school, a restaurant, museum, or a bank, people could not stop smiling, admiring, and enjoying in response. And if the Fiddlers were playing, then add people couldn’t stop their feet from tapping even if they’d wanted to! These kids had groupies everywhere they went. Their youngest fans were on Prince Edward Island at L’ecole Evangeline – a set of identical one year old triplets who were rockin’ out in their stretch limousine stroller! Their oldest fans, in their 80s, were at Club L’Age D’Or (The Golden Age Club) in Truro, New Brunswick. After the Fiddlers performed there I was inundated by men and women gushing to me about these young people. My fellow chaperone, Ken Charles, and I were often at a loss for words to express how we ourselves felt after these performances. Sometimes I think we both looked like we were so proud we were about to burst!
It was the trip of a lifetime for them and for moi aussi. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!
I am so proud of the Fiddlers and their gifted leader. Looks like you had a wonderful time!
Steve and band members, you are all so awesome.I just love listening to you play with such joy and enthusiasm. I love the fact that you are visiting the Elerly homes, keep up the good job!
I got a full report from Greg today. He was so positive, proud, and upbeat that it was a pleasure to speak with him. Another winning performance by our fiddlers.
Steve and Fiddlers! Congratulations on such an awesome trip, experience, and performances! We are so proud and happy for you!
I am so very proud of you Roshan, and all of your fantastic fiddling bandmates and teacher/chaparones (Mitra! …my sister). What a wonderful opportunity to travel and bring music to share with so many.
Your extremely Proud Uncle,
“Unka Dave”