The Métis Fiddler Quartet (MFQ) is one of Canada's most unique and versatile young musical groups today. Originally from Winnipeg, this Toronto based bilingual family group is renowned for their mastery of both traditional Canadian Métis fiddle music and classical repertoire. By exploring their Métis musical cultural roots, they have fashioned a work of Métis tunes that honours that heritage while possessing a contemporary and fresh resonance.

MFQ has been honoured to study and perform with accomplished Elders: Teddy Boy Houle and James Flett from Ebb and Flow, Manitoba; James and Daisy Cheechoo from James Bay, Ontario; John Arcand from Debden, Saskatchewan; Colin Adjun Kugluktuk, Nunavut.

A few highlights for the Métis Fiddler Quartet include: Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian 20th Anniversary 2009 Gala Banquet performance, Washington D.C., 2009 Planet IndigenUs performance at Toronto Harbourfront, Canadian Museum of Civilization 2009 Grand opening of the Fur Trade Exhibit; the 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards in Winnipeg which was aired on Global and APTN on the 21st of March, 2009.

A major milestone for the group was met with the publishing of their first Métis fiddling CD recording entitled Oméigwessi: Reel Métis, a tribute to Walter Flett. The recording won two 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards: Best Fiddle and Best Instrumental.

Members of the Metis Fiddler Quartet
Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk
Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk’s magnetism as a performer is obvious as soon as she takes the stage. She is a Métis string musician whose classical training has led her to explore such genres as mariachi, new music classical and contemporary repertoire, in addition to her Métis heritage music.

Alyssa presently studies viola performance at the Conservatoire de Lausanne with Gilad Karni in Switzerland. She has her Bachelors of Viola Performance from the Conservatoire Tibor Varga de Sion where Alyssa studied with Ulrich Eichenauer and Nobuko Imai. Alyssa has toured Russia with the Camerata de Lausanne, and was selected to perform in the 2008 International Mortizburg Chamber Music Festival in Germany. As an orchestral player, Alyssa toured China with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra of the Royal Conservatory of Music RCM and the U.S. and South America with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas.

As a graduate of the Young Artists’ Performance Academy of the Royal Conservatory of Music, she has an impressive list of awards to her credit including the 2006 Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival Strings Trophy Finalist, the 2004 Manitoba Music Festival Senior Strings, 2006 and 2007 National Finalist in the Canadian Music Competition, and 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation Scholarship. In 2004, Alyssa was awarded the National Métis Youth Award for Arts and Culture, given for her achievements in the promotion of Métis music.