Traditional Maritime concert raises money for music students

A fundraiser to support Merry Time Music’s scholarship fund was a toe-tapping success.

A Friday-night concert in Halifax celebrated traditional Maritime tunes while also raising money to help the next generation of musicians.

Hosted by Halifax-based fiddle player Adrianne Ciccone, a kitchen-party-style concert raised money for the Maritime Music Scholarship Fund which provides scholarships to music students.

“We have local fiddlers and musicians joining us and there’s music from all over Canada, traditional music from Nova Scotia, Quebec, as well as some tunes from America and the EU as well,” said Ciccone in and interview with CTV’s Mike Lamb.

“So, it’s a real celebration of everything fiddle in support of sending local kids to music camp and helping them take lessons.”

Ciccone is a Barklee College of Music graduate and winner of the Instrumental Artist of the Year award at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

She also runs Merry Time Music Co., a music school in Halifax, alongside her sister. Since 2021, the school has grown to over 200 students, offering lessons on fiddle, violin, guitar, and singing.

“Something we find important is social music making. Me and my sister opened the school after a lifetime of experiences of social music making at fiddle camps and in group lessons and so we thought it was really important for kids to experience playing music together,” she said.

Ciccone adds she’s glad to be able to help the next generation of musicians learn and grow.

“Up until now we’ve given up to, I believe it’s almost $10,000 worth of scholarships, and that’s gone in part out to summer campers, as well as to subsidize lessons throughout the year and those folks have been able to take various instruments or be involved in some of our community programs.”

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jim Kvammen

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