I played in the Olympics!? That was real!? That wasn't a dream!?

By Sierra Noble

Posted on

So, yes, the rumours are true. If you THOUGHT it was me playing fiddle in the opening ceremony for the Olympics last Friday but you weren't quite sure because of the crazy makeup and hair, and started betting money with your buddies...well whoever said it was me wins!

I got a call sometime in the summer about this show, and honestly couldn't believe it. I wasn't sure at that point what my involvement in the show would be exactly but with something like that, does it really even matter? It's an honour in and of itself.

A little while after getting that call I got a call from Dave Pierce, the musical director/genius of the whole ceremony. He told me the concept of our portion of the show, which was called "Rhythms of The Fall." He told me that there would be a group of 6 "Hero Fiddlers" that included, Ashley MacIsaac, Daniel Lapp, Andre Brunet, Natalie McMaster, Donnell Leahy, and me. Me? With them? I was amazed. All of those fiddlers are the players that when I was just a little kid growing up playing at the fiddle contests across the prairies was idolizing, looking up to wishing that one day I would be as good as them, they were my hero fiddlers, and now...I'm being included in that prestigious group? I just kept saying "wow" on the phone.

That was the beginning.

Many months later, I heard from him again and he sent me the music. A bunch of great, truly Canadian sounding tunes written by another Canadian fiddle hero, Calvin Vollrath.

In November, when I was in Calgary playing at Grey Cup, I went over to my good friend Russell Broom's place to record my section of "Rhythms of The Fall." I finally met the infamous Dave Pierce, as well as Donovan Seidle, the executive musical director for the ceremony who later, as I got to know him, I learned that he is one of the most crazy talented people I've ever met. And became a great friend in the process. This proved to be a bit of a pattern throughout the whole experience...great friends, with unthinkable talent that you would never guess was there from their modesty. It was a rare occurrence to find an ego in this whole event...everyone was just filled with so much pride to be a part of it in their own small way...to be a part of the kick off to the most memorable time in these athletes lives, a time that they have worked their entire lives toward.

It seemed like ages until we finally had our first rehearsals in Vancouver. It was mid January, and we made the trip. We got there and were put straight to work...er...play. We met our fabulous, one of a kind choreographer, Mr. Drew Anthony, and he whipped us fiddlers into shape doing all different kinds of things that, as fiddlers, we weren't exactly used to doing. I was digging back into my dance days for ability to actually REMEMBER choreography, let alone get back into counting in 8 instead of 4, haha.
By the end of those few days, we were friends for life and our choreography was looking preeeetty stellar ;) none of us wanted to go home though...once you feel the olympic spirit, you don't want to miss a second of it!

The secret was getting harder and harder to keep as it got closer and closer, especially when so many of my good friends in bands from Winnipeg were going out to Vancouver to play at Manitoba House or in the Athletes Village and were asking me if I was going out there to do anything. I would just say no...and then quickly try and finish up the convo before I started giggling like a little kid, haha.

Now, I could make this one long post that would be twice as long as it is at the moment and tell you the rest of this great tale...or I could say....

To be continued...

:)

I'll catch up with "y'all" after my writing session tomorrow here in Nashville,

Love,
Sierra <3

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