Roy Johnstone, Musician

This is part of a continuing series of articles I write for the PEI fiddlers newsletter. It covers a wide variety of topics related to playing the fiddle.

copyright@royjohnstone 2008

PhD Candidate Ryan O'Connor has created an informative and entertaining web site with interviews about "back to the landers" who moved to Prince Edward Island in the 1970's. I was one of them! Engaging interviews and a overview narrative. The site uses George Zimble's fine photographs to highlight and complement the stories. Check it out.

The url is http://niche.uwo.ca/backtotheisland.

For less than the price of a cup of coffee ( $.99) you can download one of my tunes . CD downloads are half the price ( $9.99) of a hard copy CD. All you need is a credit card or pay pal account. Check out the recording section for a listing of all the tunes. I will be posting many more tunes as soon as they are recorded. You can be the first to hear them.

I've also added a "music scores" section which contains free pdf downloads of several of my original compositions and added some new photos and updated press info to my bio section.

There's two informative CBC audio interviews also posted that give more background to my musical career and my latest collaborations with Steve Sharratt.

This is another site I recently came across. Some useful forums on fiddling and some helpful tips on instruments . Covers all styles of music and a wide variety of instruments. Congrats to Adam for another great fiddler resource.

Here's a link to my info on the fiddle world.

http://fiddleworld.ning.com/profile/Roy

I just discovered fiddle hangout. Lots of topical discussions about fiddle playing and instruments. Check in out. Lots of links to other interesting and useful sites. Thanks to Eric for all his hard work in getting the site up and maintaining it.

http://www.fiddlehangout.com/

JOHNSTONE AND SHARRATT RELEASE NEW CD

Roy Johnstone and Steve Sharratt will release their long-awaited recording Longshore Drift at a launch party in early October. This new CD, dedicated to the memory of Island fiddlers James
Banks, Yvon Bourque and David Baglole, reflects the respect that both Johnstone and Sharratt have for carrying on traditions of the past. “It’s a contemporary exploration of some traditional

Roy has been invited to present a talk and workshop on his original composiitions at the 2008 North Atlantic Fiddle Convention being held this year in St John's , NL. Fiddlers from Europe and the USA will be attending this prestigious convention.

Workshop details below.

title: Hybrids
I
Abstract:

Roy contributes a regular column entitled Fiddle Shoptalk to the PEI Fiddler's newsletter. Catch his latest talk on learning a new tune, Millie's Waltz. The Winter/Spring 2009 issue of the Island Fiddler Newsletter can now be found on the PEI Fiddlers Society website - http://peifiddlers.com/

Island film animator Jodie Samuelson has received several distinguished awards for her film Mabel's Saga. The film was co-produced by Jodie and the NFB . The film has charmed audiences wherever it has been shown.The film featured several tracks from Atlantic musicians including one by Island fiddler Roy Johnstone. The original music composed by Jodie was also recorded at Roy's studio in Argyle Shore.

The Queen's County Fiddlers recently received a PEI Music Award for their recording Forty Fiddlers Flat Out.. This is the first recording by the fiddlers in many years and it has been very well received . Produced by Queen's county president Ward MacDonald, the CD represents many hours of practice and dedicated work by the group. The recording was engineered and mastered by Island fiddler Roy Johnstone.

The early developments to establish a fiddle museum at Orwell Corner historic village are underway. Please see forum topic for more details and to comment.

Department of Fisheries and Oceans has just purchased the rights to the video Musquash produced by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick. The sound track features music from Island fiddler Roy Johnstone's CD "stark ravin". The Musquash show will be broadcast as part of a web broadcast public education initiative from DFO.

I have a turn of the century French hand made violin for sale. Plays very well, nice tone. Two piece maple back and spruce top. It has a small neck suitable for smaller hand player and the action is fast. I paid $1000 and am asking the same. Please contact Roy Johnstone at 902-675-2541 or email at hello@royjohnstone.com.