LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Students at Bompas Elementary School will have the chance to hone their fiddling skills throughout the school year.

Instructions are given to the 90 performers during the annual Fort Simpson Fiddle Jamboree on Jan. 17. Following the event, a school-based fiddle club has restarted in the village. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo

The school's fiddle club is back in action following a successful Fort Simpson Fiddle Jamboree held the weekend of Jan. 17.

Teresa Chilkowich, who has fiddled for four years after being introduced to the instrument at a jamboree, will lead the club with a Thomas Simpson School student Lauren Lafferty.

"She's quite an advanced fiddler," Chilkowich said.

The jamboree tends to generate interest in performing with the instrument Chilkowich said.

Having access to music lessons is great for broadening the options of students in the small community, she said.

"It's important to have more than reading, writing and arithmetic in someone's studies," she said in an interview Jan. 26.

"I know the power of music to help with coordination, helping how they're learning, enabling their development," she said.

The first meeting for the club was held Jan. 21 and future ones are planned for Wednesdays at lunch.

The club tends to be split into two groups. The first has students who play at a more advanced level, the other group with those still learning.

Chilkowich said the club will be going through some of the exercises to remind students of bow positions and finger positions.

"A lot of it is just reminding them of what they already know," she said.

She said in past years the timing of club meetings has been difficult.

One year it was also held at lunch, but after students ate. By the time they were finished, there wasn't much time to organize the club.

Then in another year, they tried after school, but given the variety of after school activities, attendance was low.

So now the school will allow students out of class 10 minutes before lunchtime, with the meal consumed after practice. Personally, she said it's fun to help the students who come to the club learn and connect with them.

When she first arrived in the village, she spent some time as a substitute teacher so she got to know some of the students still in the school.

She said the club will likely perform at the school's spring concert.

As well, she mentioned about potentially taking part in the Beavertail Jamboree, the annual village event in March.

"I mentioned that to them and a number sounded interested," she said.