In Conversation with Juno Award-Winning Canadian Fiddler Shari Ulrich

Juno Award-winning singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Shari Ulrich and I accept "bumped" into anniversary added several times this accomplished few months. In accurate musician's spirit I've beat several hats in our dealings. Our aboriginal affair was of a business nature. She emailed if her violin bow bankrupt and she was gluttonous to acquirement a carbon fibre archetypal from my violin boutique in time for a gig. I afresh contacted Shari beneath the advocacy of the Shuswap Violin Society, a non-profit accumulation announcement dabble music. Shari was arrive to accompany as an Honourary Lifetime Membership with our accumulation and affably accepted, abacus "Well how can a babe about-face that down?!?!? I would be honoured!" Soon afterwards I abstruse our bounded Music Society was hosting a "Songwriter's Cafe" area Shari was abutting by John Mann (Spirit of the West), Norman Foote and Babe Gurr. I would assuredly accept the befalling to accommodated her in accepting and don my freelance writer's hat. After a arresting and awful absorbing concert Shari and I chatted about music, motherhood, fiddles and added important stuff. Rhiannon Schmitt: What was your action or a ambition you had in apperception if you aboriginal started arena violin? Had you apparent a concert and been aggressive or was it artlessly out of the blue? Shari Ulrich: I grew up in the US - in Northern California area music was a affairs in the schools. In Grade 3 we were asked what apparatus we capital to play and accustomed a little demonstration. My girlfriends and I all chose violin so we could be in the chic together... actual archetypal adolescent babe motivation. RS: That's interesting, my violin ancestry were about absolutely the same: a academy orchestra affairs in San Diego, California. Now.. to dig out some clay on you. Did your mother anytime accept to nag you to practice? Or was music just your appropriate affair you were consistently committed to? SU: Practicing was ALWAYS my nemesis - even today, admitting I anamnesis accomplishing LOTS of it. And yes, from time to time my mother said the aforementioned affair to me that I apprehend myself adage to my babe - "There's no point in paying for acquaint if you're not traveling to practice". (Which of advance is TRUE). But in fact, my mother didn't nag me - nor do I nag my babe - but neither could abide that remark. Later, in my aboriginal 20's, I had a aeon of ardent abstraction for a few years. RS: Regarding "young babe motivations," I apperceive my violin convenance was abandoned if I had a boyfriend. Did boys anytime get in the way of your music? SU: Ha! No, I'd say boys accept consistently been a abundant asset to my music because I've around consistently had accessory who were musicians! But in my boyish years I don't anamnesis it accepting a conflict. RS: So if did you aboriginal adjudge to become a able artist or did it just happen? SU: I came to Canada if I was about 19 - analytic for what I was declared to do with my activity - my calling. Afresh I started arena with added musicians - accomplishing this affair that had consistently been SO additional attributes to me that I never anticipation of it as a career. THEN the ablaze went on and I accomplished MUSIC was MY THING. RS: Were there anytime times if you didn't anticipate you had what it would yield to become a able musician? SU: No - I've consistently accustomed it to my core. But there accept absolutely been times that I acquainted beneath accomplished and not a acceptable abundant afterimage clairvoyant to be a TRUE able musician, like my accomplice Bill is, who can afterimage apprehend and play anything. I accept my limitations. But my acuteness doesn't. RS: What do you do to affected agreeable "slumps?" SU: My slumps accept been added accepting weary of blame the bedrock up the hill, because accepting a artist agency creating your activity every alone day. And I had a eyes for myself that basic my music extensive a added admirers than it has because as I got older, my opportunities for industry abutment diminished. But alive to my physique that music is what I'm meant to actualize and play and breathe has never taken a dip. RS: Who was your bigger motivation, violin-wise, if you grew up? SU: Hmm... I assumption Stephan Grappelli admitting I couldn't play that appearance - Itzhak Perlman, hmmm... I can't say that I had a role archetypal who aggressive me. RS: They're two of my idols too, and absolutely aerial ones at that! The Juno Accolade in 1981 for Most Promising Female Artist, did you apprehend that? SU: I couldn't say I "expected" it, but I absolutely hoped it would happen. Winning is consistently a blood-tingling acquaintance no amount what it is. RS: What went through your apperception as you accustomed it? SU: How air-conditioned it was that Bob and Doug McKenzie presented it! How abominably I didn't wish to spiral up my speech. RS: What did that accolade admonition you achieve in years to come, or was it not a big accord to you? SU: Yes it was a big deal, and looks abundant in the bio. It enhances opportunities but doesn't agreement anything. RS: You said motherhood was a claiming to antithesis with your career in the aboriginal canicule of infanthood and childhood. How did you antithesis it all and what helped you through those years adopting your daughter? SU: I took Julia everywhere with me - and started touring afresh if she was 6 weeks old - and formed added in that year than I anytime had. It absolutely affirmed us. So it didn't aftereffect my plan life, but the focus of accepting a mother is absolutely acute and arresting - there is a choiceless-ness about it. But I anticipate what is absurd to adhere on to is the artistic drive that comes from time alone, which is never the aforementioned afterwards accepting a child. The abandoned time is what drives my creativity, and afterwards a adolescent comes, even if you abduct an hour actuality or there, it is just that - baseborn time amid duties rather than accessible concluded beck of alertness ceaseless time. Her Dad was a HUGE asset to it all alive though. I was/is a absurd ancestor and he was absolutely able of accepting the break at home guy the odd time that I didn't yield her - 3, 4, 5 canicule at a time. He was amazing. RS: Julia plays violin and has to abstraction with addition abecedary and sometimes I anticipate teaching my own son to play violin isn't a acceptable idea. Why do you anticipate accouchement accept to abstraction with anyone added than a parent? SU: Oh, I wouldn't characterize it as "has to". I just knew that it wouldn't be acceptable for our accord - or for her befalling to learn. And we accept one of, I think, the best violin agents on Bowen Island - Alison Nixon. So I was blessed to accept her abstraction with anyone so abundant and not accept the added amount of seeing her through acquirements an instrument. Plus, alive how to play doesn't beggarly you're a abundant teacher, and I don't anticipate I would accept been a acceptable teacher. RS: If Julia or anyone abroad you apperceive and affliction for capital a activity as a able musician, what would your admonition to them be? SU: Do it because you LOVE it. Accept a apple-pie ego. Anticipate of the admirers as your ally. I apperceive anyone who doesn't in fact like to accomplish because it triggers his crisis - he feels acerbity of the admirers - that they are anticipation him - and who are they to adjudicator him! That's unfortunate. Be honest and accurate with your different voice. Don't let "the industry" actuate whether you accept a career. RS: Do you anticipate it's accessible to accomplish a acceptable active in gigging, or would you animate such an alone to aswell accede teaching or addition job as backup? SU: I anticipate it's acceptable to abandonment to it. Which agency accepting that there is no absolute security, but accepting acceptance that your aptitude will accommodate for you. But teaching is a acceptable aback up assets to have. RS: Is it a activity alone baddest individuals accept what it takes to accomplish it work? SU: Hmmm....I'd say so, yes. RS: You've been teaching a Lyrics Advance at UBC. How's that alive out?Biyang EQ-7 Equalizer SU: I LOVE it. I adulation the kids - the action - and accepting my aboriginal approved paycheck! RS: Are you because clearing down as a Prof anytime and abrogation the activity of a traveling musician? SU: I would never wish to leave assuming live, and couldn't brainstorm that anytime accepting necessary. But I'd adulation to accumulate accomplishing this job for awhile! I can't see myself anytime absolutely clearing for just one path. RS: Finally, acquaint me about your violin or violins. SU: It's a German violin that I best up in Victoria if my adolescence one was baseborn on avenue to my aboriginal Valdy and the Hometown Band gig in Victoria - it had been accustomed to me by a Abundant Aunt if I'd won a smalls scholarship in Grade 7. It bankrupt my heart, and I still seek for it in stores. For abounding years I played a white Barcus Berry electric. Approved body, but it articulate appealing austere acoustically. Afresh I went aback to my "real" violin if I accomplished how abundant bigger it sounded. RS: What would your dream violin complete like? SU: Hmmm - like the one I play. My dream would be added about my own arena and tone. My dream would be to be a bigger amateur and be able to accomplish any violin complete heartbreakingly beautiful. RS: Shari, you're so great! Thank you for accepting an afflatus to so abounding and for demography the time to allotment your thoughts with us. I achievement we see anniversary added afresh soon.