Linda Breitag 2415 East 22nd Street Minneapolis MN 55406 (612) 722-0097 lindab@bfjmusic.com Work Samples Audio: Last Saturday Issoudun Le Forgeron (The Blacksmith) To hear the work samples, Windows Media Player is required. If you do not have it installed, you can download it for free here: Download Windows Media Player

Linda Breitag French-Canadian music I play the lively and varied fiddle music of French Canada, including reels, waltzes, gigues, galopes, and wonderful "crooked" tunes. I sing the driving and often humorous call-response songs and the poignant complaintes, or ballads, of this culture. Following the tradition of Quebec, where I lived for several years, I often underscore my singing and fiddling with percussive foot-tapping, and perform both unaccompanied and with guitar. My concerts, workshops and lecture-demonstrations are informative and fun for all ages. As I help the audience sing a little French, I paint for them a picture of the culture surrounding this traditional music, and evoke the strong French presence in the history and present life of the Midwest, including that of the French-Indian group known as the Métis. Available: Anytime; no mileage restrictions; also available with an accompanist Space: Space for one person and a chair; sound system with two microphones and boom stands in larger venues or outdoors Fee: $125 to $500

Additional Information:
Linda Breitag performs the lively and varied fiddle music of French Canada.

Linda Breitag first heard this music in 1986 when a friend handed her a recording by a band from Quebec. Linda had played the fiddle for several years, but had never heard anything like this style. The experience inspired her to arrange a trip to Quebec and begin studying the French language. In Quebec, she lived with local musicians, attended local musical gatherings and parties, and immersed herself in the culture of the region. Since that time, she has made many trips to Quebec, living there for over three years in the process, and she now considers it her second home.

The French presence in Canada stems from the founding of the town of Port-Royal in Acadia in 1604. Four years later the settlement that would later be known as Quebec was established. Today, Canada is officially a bilingual nation, and French Canadian culture continues to thrive in Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and parts of Ontario. The music that Linda Breitag plays is grounded in the regional traditions of Quebec. Quebec playing has been heavily influenced by Celtic styles. Reels, jigs, waltzes, galopes, and "crooked" tunes are all included in this body of instrumental music. In contrast, the songs of the region show a greater degree of French influence. These include complaintes (ballads), call-and-response songs, and turlutage (a kind of "mouth music"). These songs may be sung with accompanying foot-tapping, guitar or piano, or unaccompanied.

Linda's performances are exciting and fun as well as informative. In Red Lake Falls and other areas of Minnesota that have a strong French heritage, there has been special interest in Linda Breitag's performances and cultural presentations. French Canadian traditions influenced communities throughout the midwestern U.S., as voyageurs in the 17th Century and loggers in the 19th and early 20th Centuries shared songs, stories, meals, and material goods with the local residents they encountered.

Linda performs in many venues. She has played at parties and sessions, at festivals, in schools and libraries, and at events focused on French heritage. Linda has also served as a master fiddler in the Folk Arts Apprenticeship program, and she has taught fiddle and stepdance to many students. The format for her performances is quite flexible, ranging from lecture demonstrations to informal entertainment.

(Linda recommends the Thirty Below website.)