Fiddling His Way to the Top

When Mitchel Fleming was six years old, he saw his older cousin Johnnie playing the fiddle and told his mom he wanted to play it – he liked the sound.

Mitchel is now 14 – he’s been playing violin music since he was seven.  This September marked the beginning of the grade nine Lockview High School student’s   eighth year of playing the violin; three years ago he decided to break into fiddle music as well.

Mitchel says he was attracted to the sound of the fiddle, but he was also enticed by the fact that his great-grandfather was a Cape Breton Fiddler, so he wanted to play it too.

He said some of his most exciting moments were meeting fiddlers Ashley MacIsaac and Natalie MacMaster.  Mitchel met Ashley last year when the Cape Breton native was one of the adjudicators in the Celtic Colors festival. “Ashley came into the back of the room and I leaned over and said, “look Mitchel, it’s Ashley”, said Mitchel’s mom, Marybeth. “Little did we know that he was going to be there to watch.

After the performance, Ashley gave Mitchel, as well as the remainder of the performers, a CD. “ This year Mitchel played a tune from it. He also took a workshop from Ashley the day following his performance at the Judique Interpretative centre.

And last year, Mitchel and his mom went to one of Natalie’s concerts at the Cohen. “Before we went I sent Natalie an email to see if Mitchel could meet her,” said Marybeth. “She came out after a fabulous show, met with Mitchel and signed one of his favourite fiddle books.” He also gets his favourite teachers to sign it.

Mitchel again played in this year’s Celtic Colors, accompanied by Mike Hall on piano. He says that with fiddle music, he enjoys the individuality of the music; “you can make it your own no matter how many times you have heard it played before,” he said.

Mitchel has also found his own style of dress when playing the fiddle. “He now wears a baseball cap while he plays the fiddle,” said his mom, “because a couple of years ago we said, “to go from violin to fiddle you are changing hats”, and so he took it literally and in order to get into the fiddle mode, he donnes a cap.”

Mitchel has had a number of accomplishments; he got 2nd in the Kirk Logan Festival, 2009, in 18 years and older; he placed 4th in the Kirk Logan Festival, 2009, in the 18 years and older category as well. He placed 2nd in the Kirk Logan Festival, 2007, in the 12 year old group. In the Kiwanis Festival 2008, Mitchel placed 1st in duet, and 2nd in solo Grade 7. He placed 1st in duet, and 1st in solo at Kiwanis Festival 2007. He also took 2nd place in solo at the Kiwanis Festival 2006. Mitchel got Most Improved fiddler at the Gaelic College Camp 2008.

Mitchel enjoys playing for the enjoyment of others when the opportunity comes his way. The young performer has been asked to play at local events like grand openings; he has been asked to play at weddings,  40thc anniversaries, for the Archbishop of the dioceses, and he has been asked to play at local parades, Christmas events, and at the opening of the Gordon R. Snow Recreation Centre in Fall River.

Mitchel says one of his most memorable moments was playing at Josh Nelson’s father memorial; Josh is a schoolmate and friend. He also treasures being named player of the week at the Gaelic College, and when he was profiled at the Chronicle Herald. Mitchel is looking forward to playing O’Canada at the Mooseheads Nov. 6 game, a double thrill because Mitchel is a hockey player as well.

Mitchel says his biggest inspirations were “my mom, my grandfather, my cousin Johnnie, and my grade seven teacher Ashford Crawford”. He says going to Celtic Colors was an informative and inspiring experience as well. “Going to Celtic Colors was different from playing at local venues. The reason being is that when you are up there playing by yourself, in an environment where fiddlers are scarce, you seem to stand out as the better player.”

Mitchel said he knows it takes hard work and dedication to become a top-notch performer. “Being around all those talented musicians made me realize how hard I have to work on my art to become one of the best.”