Ger Lyons - Focus Magazine

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March 10
QRISTINA & QUINN: ST PATRICK’S CELTIC CEILIDH
Fairfield United Church
QRISTINA (yes, with a “Q”) and her younger
brother, Quinn, are a formidable musical
duo. At just 21 and 16 years old, respectively,
the Bachands have two critically acclaimed
CDs, Relative Minors and Family. They have
also won a host of prestigious folk and Celtic
music awards, including the Irish Music Award
for Top Traditional Group in multiple venues,
and just weeks ago, they were honoured with
the Irish Music Award for Top Duo. For their
March 10 Ceilidh, they’ll be joined by piping
champion Zac Leger and Juno-nominated
multi-instrumentalist and co-producer of
their album, Adrian Dolan, as well as other
special guests.
Both siblings began classical violin studies
at an early age. After seeing a concert with the
outrageous Canadian Celtic group, Barrage,
however, Qristina was immediately hooked
on all things Celtic. “It was really exciting, and
fun, and upbeat,” she explains. As Qristina
honed her skills with fiddle lessons and sessions
with the Victoria Fiddle Society, Quinn eventually
put away his violin, and took up the
guitar to accompany her.
Quinn has since proven to be a Celtic guitar
prodigy. He’s just been invited to perform in
two shows with award-winning fiddler Natalie
MacMaster. And for years—since he was 13—
he has accompanied renowned Canadian Celtic
fiddler Ashley MacIsaac. Young Quinn has
learned a lot in his travels with MacIsaac. The
fiddler has helped him to coax unique and
original sounds from his guitar, and has shown
him a thing or two about showmanship: “He’s
got the biggest stage presence of anybody that
the arts in march
Qristina & Quinn Bachand
I’ve ever played with before,” says Quinn. “He
knows how to work a crowd.”
Not that Qristina doesn’t. Rather than
bombast and lightning, however, hers is a
gracious, sweeter style of performing, with a
greater emphasis on melodies. She is a delight
to watch, playing with obvious joy and passion
for her craft, easily carrying the audience along
with her. “[Performing] is a good feeling, for
sure,” she explains. “It’s sort of like when
you’re off [the stage] you’re like ‘when can I
get back on,’ cause that was really fun!’”
Quinn is Qristina’s mirror opposite on stage.
With his dark, curly locks and his intense,
introspective performance style, he is a young
Bob Dylan, doing with music what Dylan did
with poetry. They have a unique chemistry on
stage. Once, Quinn even tuned one of Qristina’s
strings in the middle of a piece! Says Quinn,
“We grew up together and our minds are somewhat
in the same place.”
The Bachands are delighted to be performing
again at Fairfield United Church. Qristina has
fond memories of jamming in the Church basement
with the Victoria Fiddle Society. “It’s a
place where we grew up,” she explains. But
now, they’re coming home to play on the
big stage!
Fairfield United Church is at Fairfield and
Moss St. The show starts at 7:30pm. Tickets
at Ivy’s, Long & McQuade, Larsen Music, and
Ditch Records. The duo also performs Mar 17
at Six Mile Pub (1:30) and the Roadhouse Bar
& Grill (6pm). See www.qbachand.com.
—Lisa Szeker-Madden
26 March 2012 • FOCUS