A Grand Success

Hi everybody!

Last night I left all the thanking to Jean Hewson, our delightful emcee. But so many people put so much effort into this concert, I want to thank everyone, and make sure everyone recognises the contributions made. I don't have emails for all the Celtic Fiddlers nor individual Gillam fiddlers, so please pass along this message!

The biggest and warmest thanks to Erin McArthur, who is currently on the Nafco organizing staff. Erin is in largest measure responsible for the grand success of this concert - she covered promotion almost single-handedly, even down to creating that fabulous poster. She got the audience for us, even liasing with a brownie pack from Conception Bay - the whole pack came to the concert! She put together the program, (humourously prompting us to contribute the bios before it went to press!) printed the tickets, and contributed her vast knowledge of concert-organizing logistics, gently reminding us all of when we had to do what, and did we forget this or that? And it was Erin's kindness and consideration of the performers that provided the big bowl of candy and the water backstage. So from all of us, Erin, Thank you.

Thanks to our good-natured and skillful stage manager, Frank Parsons, who kept us all in order and on time, and our articulate and amiable emcee, Jean Hewson. Thanks to Mun Music School staff Jennifer Hart and Brad Cooper who were the epitome of professionalism, catering to all our needs. Special thanks to sound-tech Brad, who, without knowing any of the groups or getting a sound-check from any of us, made us all sound great! Thanks to Darhen Sing, youth representative on the Organizing Committee, and to Theo Stylianides and Maria Bath for consenting to be interviewed and photographed for the Telegram. Kudos to Maria for an excellent interview!

Thanks to the intrepid Roy Duffenais, who is touring 15 youngsters from Northern Manitoba across Newfoundland They had to drive 12 hours just to get to an airport, and take a deour to avoid a forest fire. It was this visit that inspired the concert in the first place! Thanks to Korona Brophy and the Celtic Fiddlers, and the fabulous Peter Duchemin and Evelyn Osborne - (your performance was magic, in more ways than one!) and to all the Step Fiddlers.

Special thanks to the "parental units" (as my brother puts it!) of the performers. It's your dedication and support that has brought all these wonderful kids to such heights of skill. Thanks to all parents who helped set up, sold CDs and tickets, handed out programs, or offered help - Janet Hewson, Krista and David Vokey Sing, Colette Phillips, Glenda Elsworth, George Stylianides, Sophia and Kevin Redmond. I'm sorry I can't put names to those people from the Celtic Fiddlers and the Frontier Fiddlers who pitched in setting up drums, etc. - but your contributions are no less valued and appreciated!

Last of all, thanks to Anna Kearney Guigne and the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention, who enthusiastically leapt on board of this idea and gave us the stage and the support to produce this wonderful concert.

I hope I haven't left anyone out - (If I have, Erin will tell me!) Thanks everybody, for all your contributions to a wonderful evening.

Sincerely,

Christina Smith