More than 100 fiddlers expected at contest

There will be a lot of fiddlin’ around, but not much wasted time when the 38th Northwest Regional Fiddle Contest convenes next Saturday and April 2 at East Valley High School.

The annual event brings together old-time fiddlers from throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada for a two-day contest that will feature musicians as young as 4 years old all the way to retirement age and beyond.

“We’re expecting about 100 fiddlers – that’s what we seem to draw every year,” coordinator Ed Miller. “We get most of our competitors in the small fry (under 9 years), junior junior (under 13) and junior (under 18) divisions.

“That’s really where a lot of our emphasis is. We want to encourage young kids to get involved.”

The competition also features young adults (18 to 35), adult (37-59), senior (60 and older) as well as a championship division.

“It’s difficult to explain what the difference is between the championship division and the others,” Miller said. “But you sure know it when you hear it.

“I was at another fiddle contest, and one of the men from the championship division couldn’t compete because of time reasons and had to compete in the adult division. You could really tell the difference. He won hands down.”

The small fry competitors are allowed two accompanists – all other divisions are allowed three – and must play three pieces in four minutes. Each must play a hoe-down, a waltz and a song of their own choosing.

Five judges listen to the music, and only the music, from an adjoining room so that stage presence, age and gender are not factored in their decisions. Decisions are based on timing, dance-ability, tone and difficulty.

“Most of the judges are all multitime champions in their own right,” Miller said. “We try to work one first-time judge in so that there’s always someone gaining in experience, but the rest of them are all veteran judges.”

Winners are certified to enter the National Fiddle Contest in Weiser, Idaho.

But perhaps the most fun time for the entrants doesn’t come at East Valley High School.

Friday night, before the competition starts, and Saturday night, fiddlers retire to the Godfather’s Pizza parlor at Sprague and Sullivan. The musicians order some pies and break into impromptu groups for an old-fashioned jam session.

“That’s the fun part of the whole event,” Miller said. “It’s great to see the way these people act with one another. They go up on stage and compete against one another and then they go of and play together as soon as they’re through.”