The evening of Oct. 18 will bring time-honoured traditional fiddle singing, as the Haliburton County Folk Society brings Aleksi Campagne to Highland Hills United Church in Minden.
Born and raised in Montreal, the Folk Society says, “Aleksi’s music blends folk songwriting with an edgy, multi-layered sound, resulting from his unique combination of voice, violin and looping-effect pedals.”
His debut album, For the Giving-Sans Rien Donner, won a 2024 Canadian Folk Music Award for French songwriter of the year. It is bilingual, offering 10 songs in French and the same 10 in English.
“Thematically, Aleksi’s debut album is about all the firsts of growing up; from first loves to first moves, the first steps of your career, and even first breakups,” the Folk Society said.
Campagne grew up with music. At five years old, he began performing alongside his mother, Canadian folk icon, Connie Kaldor. At 19, Campagne moved to Paris to study under jazz violin legend Didier Lockwood. At 21, he became the only student to have ever been accepted into the classical violin, the jazz violin, and the jazz voice performance programs at McGill University. Since then, Campagne has played some of Canada’ most beloved festivals, including the Mariposa Folk Festival, Regina Folk Festival, Canmore Folk Festival and Bear Creek Folk Festival. He was also named Penguin Eggs & Roots Music Canada’s New Discovery of the Year.
In promoting the Minden concert, the Folk Society said Campagne “delivers an exciting live show of singing while bowing his violin and commanding the stage with his band.”
The concert will be opened by local group, Northern Wildflowers, which is the duo of Sue Shikaze and Myrna McBrien. They specialize in harmonies with a repertoire that includes originals and covers of mostly female artists.
The two met in Kingston at Queen’s University and have performed off and on for many years. Shikaze is a co-artistic director for the Folk Society’s concert series and a radio host of Northern Aire on Canoe FM. When not singing, McBrien is an educator, professional artist, actor and director.
Doors for the concert open at 7 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. start. Tickets are $35, $30 for Folk Society members and students, $40 at the door. Children and youth 18 & under are admitted for free. Children 12 & under must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets must be obtained online to reserve a ticket for children and youth. Tickets are available at haliburtonfolk.com
The show is presented by the Folk Society, a part of the Haliburton County Community Cooperative. For more information about the Coop, see haliburtoncooperative.on.ca.
