Music has taken me around the world.

The Early Days

Music was a part of my life from the very beginning.

Back in Saskatchewan, while still an infant in the carriage, I whistled to entertain myself. Folks passing by would wonder where the sound was coming from, and were delighted to discover a whistling baby. This marked the beginning of my musical life. As a child I learned classical piano with my grandmother and sang soprano in the church choir. At age twelve I began to improvise on piano and play by ear. In my teens, I began playing guitar and danced to fiery Ukrainian melodies at family weddings.

The Travelling Years

While hitch hiking through Europe in the summer of 1972 I was inspired by hippy street musicians to learn fiddle and concertina.

By 1976 I was performing regularly at folk clubs and festivals. I toured with the outdoor, horse drawn Caravan Stage Company for a couple of years, travelling about 500 miles by horse and wagon each summer.

The Romaniac Days

After earning a music diploma from Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, I fiddled my way from Moose Jaw to Moscow.

Touring first with the Canadian folk group Stringband, I then joined forces with mandolin maniac Steffy Levine (aka Steve Bengtson) to form The Romaniacs, a non-stop tongue in cheek polka party from the Ethnic Fringe. We played every major festival in Canada, toured Australia, the USA and topped it all off with a command performance in Climax Saskatchewan. Music took me around the world.

Recent Ramblings

I still love travelling and sharing my music with the world.

I continue to travel often, teaching fiddle in First Nations communities of the North West Territories and the Cariboo -Tsilhqot’in. Since 1997, home base has been Victoria BC where I play regularly at the Irish Times Pub. Come on down and take in some music for the soul!

Photo Album

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Stringband back in the USSR, 1983. We toured Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Moldavia and Belarus. The audiences were so kind. They showered us with flowers and standing ovations, requesting 2 or 3 encores at every performance. L to R: Anonymous KGB agent, Denis Nichol, Calvin Cairns, Marie-Lynn Hammond, Bob Bossin.

If you would like to learn more about my music, or if you’d like me to teach in your community, please get in touch to discuss the details!

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