John Arcand

Jean-Baptiste "John" Arcand, (born July 19, 1942 in Jackson Lake, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian fiddler, composer, teacher, and luthier. Arcand has been writing and performing since childhood, having learned the traditional Red River Métis tunes from his father Victor and his grandfather Jean-Baptiste. He has said "I knew from childhood I would be a fiddler," he said. "I love the constant challenge because you cannot ever master the fiddle." He is known for the impeccable sense of timing in his music, a skill that is necessary when guiding dancers.
Arcand has been recognized by the Métis community for ensuring that this important tradition survives. Along with a busy performing schedule, John is active as a guest artist and judge at fiddle contests, is in demand as an instructor at many fiddle camps and with private students, and also makes and repairs fiddles.
Life.
Jean Baptiste Arcand was born to a long line of musicians, which can be traced back nine generations. His family roots come from Métis communities of Red River and Batoche. John was one of 14 children born to parents Victor Arcand and Emma Loyie. He grew up in an environment with dancing and fiddle music. While neither John's father or grandfather composed music, they played tradition Métis Red River tunes such as jigs and reels for dancing. By the age of 12, John was playing for dances in people's homes or at school. Much of childhood was spent working on his family’s farm, chopping wood and milking cows. He began working in logging camps at 16, which helped to pay for his first fiddle.
Career.
Arcand worked as a project coordinator at the Gabriel Dumont Institute in Saskatoon, SK. During that time, he planned and facilitated a collaboration of well-known and respected fiddle players from across Westerns Canada to gather and preserve their traditional tunes. This led to the CDs and book called "Drops of Brandy and other Traditional Métis Tunes". This is a four CD set, containing over 150 fiddle tunes performed by 12 master Metis fiddlers including Gilbert Anderson, Trent Bruner (pianist), Richard Callihoo, Henry Gardipy, Emile Lavallee, Albert 'Hap' Boyer, Garry Lapine, John Arcand, Mel Bedard, Richard Lafferty, Homer Poitras and Ed Lafferty. An accompanying book was also released, with sheet music for every song in the compilation, as well as biographies of the performers, and a detailed look at the history and cultural importance of Metis fiddling.
John has been a mentor to many Canadian fiddlers over a long career. On March 28, 2003, The National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Arts and Culture was presented to Arcand at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. He was recognized for his contributions and his commitment to the preservation of Métis fiddling.
The Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship awarded him a lifetime achievement award in 2003. He also performed at the launch of Canada's first web-based Métis radio station.
On May 3, 2007, Arcand became a member of the Order of Canada. He was invested as a member to the order on April 11, 2008.
Festivals.
Arcand has recorded many albums including an album of Métis fiddle tunes with Calvin Vollrath. With Vollrath, he established the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp, run by the Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society. Famous fiddlers Richard Wood and Patti Kusturok Lamoreux were also teachers at Emma Lake.
The John Arcand Fiddle Fest, held each August on his acreage south of Saskatoon, is attended by fans of fiddle music from around the globe. In 2017 it had its 20th anniversary.
Influences.
Arcand’s compositions and musical style have been influenced by Andy DeJarlis. The influence on his compositions can be seen in his recording of several DeJarlis’s tunes over the years, as well as his inclusion of a DeJarlis fiddle tune contest at his Fiddle Fest in 2005. Many of Arcand’s compositions have a similar sound to DeJarlis’s tunes in their use of minors and related rhythmic patterns.
Compositions.
Arcand has composed close to 400 tunes. Many of these are written for individuals or to honour places he has been. A selected list of tunes by John Arcand includes: