School fiddler-in-residence draws excitement amid cuts

BAKER CITY, Ore. – Jocelyn Wellman snugs the fiddle under her chin, then starts sawing away with the bow.

Back and forth, back and forth – so far, sounds good.

Then: squeak!

She sticks out her tongue in annoyance as her eyes find instructor Kelly Thibodeaux.

“It hurts my ears!” she says with a grin.

Then she starts again, joining the cacophony that is warm-up time for the session Rick Rembold’s third-grade class is having with Thibodeaux, the artist-in-residence this week at Brooklyn Primary School.

“With the reduction in staffing, we wanted the artist-in-residence to be music,” said Principal Troy Fisher.

This year, music teacher Terry LaMont is dividing his time between Brooklyn and two other schools.

Fisher said the students have enjoyed this week of fiddling.

“This has been the most reaction to an artist-in-residence we’ve had in the six years I’ve been here,” he said.

Fisher said the program was funded by grants from ArtsEast and Crossroads Carnegie Art Center.

Thibodeaux grew up in New Orleans, but not with the fiddle.

“I grew up with rock ’n’ roll music, and a family of engineers,” he said.

He was one year shy of earning a degree in electrical engineering then changed his mind, and decided to play the fiddle instead.

“I think it was because I was doing something I didn’t like and didn’t understand,” he said.

His dad’s reaction: “But you don’t know how to play the fiddle.”

That was 35 years ago. Now he describes himself as a “working musician” with his band, Etouffee, that plays a style called swamp rock. He now lives in Oakridge, near Eugene.

When he’s not playing, he’s teaching youngsters how to make the fiddle sing.

He brings about 40 fiddles with him for the students to play. And youngsters take right to these instruments, especially when he welcomes them with a catchy dance tune.

“With a kid, if you don’t grab their attention right away, you won’t get it,” he said.

Most can’t get enough.

“The most significant thing is it’s an amazing self-esteem builder,” he said.

And then they’re hooked.

“After this, they all want fiddles,” he said with a grin.