Internationally acclaimed string musicians Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas will bring an evening of traditional and original music to Parksville on Nov. 7. Known for their dynamic fiddle and cello partnership spanning 25 years, the duo will perform at Knox United Church (345 Pym St.) for a special night of music.
“Finding someone you can play with so harmoniously for such a long time is a rare gift,” said Fraser, a celebrated figure in Scottish music circles. Dubbed “the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling,” Fraser was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame and has contributed his sound to Hollywood scores like Titanic and Last of the Mohicans.
Haas, a Juilliard graduate and highly regarded cellist in traditional music, joins Fraser in creating a blend of traditional and original pieces. The two are now working on their eighth studio album. “We’re increasingly drawn to composing our own music, while still exploring tunes that are centuries old,” said Fraser.
The duo first met when Haas, then 11, attended one of Fraser’s U.S.-based music camps, where they teach a range of musical traditions and skills, including fiddle, cello, piano, Gaelic singing, and even “late-night philosophy” and dance. Over the years, Fraser recognized Haas’s unique talent and her enthusiasm for what he calls “releasing the cello from its orchestral role” to explore traditional music.
Fraser explains that, historically, Scottish dance bands comprised only a fiddle and a cello. “It’s surprising to many,” he noted, “but in 18th Century Scotland, it was fiddle and cello — no guitars, no piano.”
Born and raised in Scotland, Fraser developed a passion for the fiddle at eight years old, inspired by his grandfather’s instrument and encouraged by his father, a bagpiper. He studied under his school’s violin teacher, embracing both the technical challenge and the rich violin and fiddle traditions. Influences like Jascha Heifetz and Scottish fiddlers Hector MacAndrew and Angus Grant helped shape his style, blending the discipline of classical training with the energy of traditional dance music.
Fraser and Haas have since toured extensively worldwide, and Fraser has a special fondness for performing in Spain, where audiences are particularly enthusiastic. “They lean forward into the music, arriving ready to enjoy the night,” he said. He is equally excited to return to Vancouver Island, where he says audiences bring the same vibrant energy.
The concert will begin at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
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