Quick Q and A with April Verch
 by Kathy S-B  ·  12 October 2007

I first had the pleasure of seeing April Verch a few years ago at Summerfest in New Bedford, Massachusetts. As one reviewer at Fiddler Magazine says: “April Verch brings new meaning to the word multi-tasking.” If you’ve never seen someone who fiddles, step-dances AND sings at the same time, April’s the best bet that I know of to experience this musical treat. Here’s a video from April’s MySpace page which shows her in action at one of my favorite West Coast venues, the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, California. You can also hear some of her brilliant CD “Take Me Back” on her MySpace page.

Your biography states that you started step-dancing at age three. Is it common to start step-dancing at such an early age?

I think it is fairly common for people to start Ottawa Valley stepdancing lessons at an early age — perhaps three years old is earlier than most — probably age five or six is more common. I remember my parents telling me that my stepdancing teacher’s rule was that you had to be able to count to ten and keep your balance, so I suppose I could do that by the age of three and they let me start! I also have an older sister who was taking lessons already and knew everything I would be learning, so she could help me at home if I needed extra help when I was really young.

You’ve been playing the fiddle since you were six. What is it about the fiddle that resonates so much with you?

I think the same things that resonated with me at the age of six when I first wanted to learn to fiddle are the same things that resonate with me the most today (although perhaps I didn’t know it back then!) The sound of the instrument, especially it’s ability to express, is really important to me. Also the energy of the music that I play on the fiddle, not necessarily meaning the energy that comes from playing “fast” tunes or lots of notes, but the energy that pulses through the music when you are playing an instrument and types music that you feel so passionately about, resonates deeply for me.

How does Ottawa Valley fiddling differ, for instance, from Quebecois fiddling? Or does it?

The Ottawa Valley fiddle style is unique to that area and falls under the umbrella of the “Old Time Canadian” fiddle style. It is a melting pot of a lot of different influences, including German, Polish, Irish, Scottish and French — the people who first settled in the Ottawa Valley in the days of the lumber camps when logging was the main industry in the valley.

At what point did you first attempt to dance and fiddle at the same time? From the audience’s perspective, it sure looks very difficult.

I’m not quite sure at what age I first attempted to dance and fiddle at the same time, I am going to guess around age eight or nine. I remember seeing someone else do it at a performance and watching everyone go wild for it and deciding that I could do it too if I put my mind to it. I started out with really simple steps and tunes and built up from there. It is difficult to do, I have to put everything (fiddle tune, steps, technique) on automatic pilot and hope for the best. If I think too much about one thing or the other or try too hard it never turns out!

What are some of the highlights of your career thus far? Are there any career goals that you are aiming for?

I feel really fortunate to be a full time touring and recording musician — to be able to make a living doing what I love in a very difficult business. One of my main goals is to maintain the career I have built and to continue growing it to a point where I can tour as much or little as I like, in all of the areas I want to play, continue recording, and to really be in demand with a strong fan base. That will enable me to continue to share and create the music I love so much which has always been my first and most important goal. I really love to perform and I would say that most of my career highlights involve performing in special places (like the Ryman Auditorium or at a festival in Germany or Denmark) or with special people (like John Hartford or Chet Atkins). But really, every day in this music business is a highlight (though some are harder than others!) because it’s what I’ve always wanted to do — I am living my dream!