Oliver Schroer facts for kids

Oliver Schroer (born June 18, 1956 – died July 3, 2008) was a super talented Canadian fiddler. He was also a composer, meaning he wrote music, and a music producer, helping others record their songs. He was known for his unique fiddle playing style.

Oliver's Early Life and Music Journey

Oliver Schroer grew up in a small farming town called Vandeleur, Ontario. It was near Markdale in Grey County. He went to Grey Highlands Secondary School in Flesherton.

In school, he played the French horn in the band. He also took private lessons for the violin. Oliver was a great student and graduated in 1974 with many awards.

After high school, Oliver tried university but didn't like it much. He decided to become a busker in Toronto. He played guitar in the Toronto subway for a few years. Later, he picked up his violin again. This time, he played fiddle music instead of classical. In 1993, he released his first album, Jigzup. It was even nominated for a Juno Award!

Oliver's Amazing Music Career

Oliver Schroer wrote a lot of music. He recorded ten CDs in just 14 years! He performed his music all over the world. He played in clubs and big cathedrals in Europe and North America. He even played at New York's famous Lincoln Center.

He helped create or played on over 100 albums. He also wrote more than 1,000 pieces of music! Oliver worked with many famous artists. These included singers like Loreena McKennitt and Sylvia Tyson. He also played with bands like Great Big Sea and Spirit of the West.

A music critic from Toronto, Robert Everett-Green, described Oliver's style. He said it was a mix of traditional Ontario fiddling. It also had the complex, layered music of Bach's violin works. Oliver often used special violin techniques. These included harmonics and double stops. These techniques helped him create very modern sounds.

Teaching and Mentoring Young Musicians

For the last seven years of his life, Oliver taught music. He also mentored many young musicians. He taught in Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast and in Smithers, British Columbia.

In Smithers, he wrote a piece of music for each of his 59 young students. He recorded each piece with Emilyn Stam, a young pianist. His album Smithers was a special thank-you to the town.

Oliver also started groups of young fiddlers and musicians. He called these groups The Twisted String. He wrote big orchestral pieces for them. They performed together at music festivals across Canada.

The Camino Album Journey

Oliver's album Camino was recorded in churches. These churches were along the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail. In 2004, Oliver walked 1,000 kilometers of this trail. He went with his wife and two friends.

He carried portable recording equipment with him. To save weight, he didn't bring a violin case. He wrapped his violin in a sleeping bag in his backpack. He called it his "precious relic." The album features his solo playing. Sometimes, you can hear local sounds in the background. These include church bells, birds, and even monastic voices.

Oliver's Final Concert and Legacy

In 2007, Oliver was diagnosed with leukemia. This was a serious illness. A special tribute concert was held for him in Toronto in February 2008. Many artists performed, including James Keelaghan and Jesse Cook.

Oliver's Twisted String Project also performed. Seventeen young musicians, aged 9 to 18, traveled from British Columbia. Their trip was paid for by public donations. Oliver was in the hospital and didn't know about their visit until just before the concert. CBC Radio 2 recorded the concert.

Oliver's very last concert was on June 5, 2008. He called it "Oliver's Last Concert on his Tour of this Planet." He asked the audience to clap, not cry. He also apologized for not shaking hands, as he needed to avoid infection. A newspaper called him "an investigative fiddler." Oliver died less than a month later.

Near the end of his life, Oliver talked about his music. He said he used to write many jigs, reels, and waltzes. But over time, new kinds of melodies appeared. He called them "prayers, incantations, whimsies, blessings." He felt this music expressed deeper, more spiritual things.

Oliver shared a tune called Poised with two students on July 2, 2008. He passed away the next morning. His last words were, "Well, I guess no excursions today."

Three months after he died, Oliver's CD Hymns and Hers was nominated for four Canadian Folk Music Awards:

• Pushing the Boundaries
• Contemporary Album of the Year
• Solo Instrumentalist
• Producer

Hymns and Hers won two of these awards on November 23, 2008. It won for "Pushing the Boundaries" and "Solo Instrumentalist."

Another album, "Enthralled," was released in 2012. It was a duo album Oliver recorded with Irish flautist Nuala Kennedy. It was also nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards.

Oliver's Discography (Albums)

• Jigzup (1993), Big Dog Music – Nominated for a Juno Award
• Whirled (1994), Big Dog Music
• Stewed Tomatoes (1996), Big Dog Music
• Celtica (1998), Avalon
• O2 (Double CD, 1999), Big Dog Music
• Restless Urban Primitive (2001), Big Dog Music
• A Million Stars (2004), Big Dog Music
• Camino (2006), Big Dog Music
• Celtic Devotion (2006), Avalon Records
• Hymns and Hers (2007), Big Dog Music
• Smithers (Double CD, 2007), Big Dog Music
• Freedom Row (2010), Borealis
• Enthralled (with Nuala Kennedy, 2012), Borealis