Qristina & Quinn Bachand

Artist Information

Biography

With three Canadian Folk Music Award nominations, three Irish Music Award nominations and two Irish Music Award wins for Top Traditional Group (2010) and Top Duo (2011), all since 2009, Qristina and Quinn Bachand have quickly become two of the most important young musicians in the Folk & Celtic music world.

This Canadian powerhouse duo have a musical bond that only siblings can share. An undeniably energetic duo, Qristina and Quinn never cease to amaze audiences with their incredible virtuosity, passion for Celtic music and their infectious energy. With a musical connection reminiscent of other Canadian family groups, such as Leahy, The Barra MacNeil's or The Rankins, audiences everywhere are falling in love with Qristina and Quinn Bachand.

Twenty-one year old Qristina Bachand is an expressive fiddler, with a unique personal style that is bold and edgy. Her youthful energy and passion for Celtic music are at the core of her dynamic stage presence. Though strongly rooted in the Celtic tradition, her versatility and interests also include Old-Time, Appalachian, Swing and contemporary folk music

Often compared to John Doyle, sixteen year old, Quinn Bachand, is a gifted multi-instrumentalist and sought after guitar accompanist. He is quickly establishing a reputation as "one of the best Celtic guitar accompanists in the world" (Ashley MacIsaac). Since 2009 Quinn has been performing with the acclaimed Cape Breton fiddler at major festivals in Canada and Australia. Quinn adds a contemporary edge to traditional Celtic music; his creative harmonies, hard-driving strumming, inventive chord voicing and powerful rhythmic effects make even the most well-worn tunes seem new and exciting. An in demand sideman, Quinn recently joined Natalie MacMaster on a tour of the Eastern United States.

Challenging yet energetic, refreshing and fun best descibes their critically acclaimed 2008 debut album, “Relative Minors”. “Relative Minors” is a nod to the rich canon of music that has influenced their young careers” (Penguin Eggs).

Qristina & Quinn's highly anticipated sophemore album, "Family", was released in May 2011 to stellar reviews and quickly rising to the top of the folk and Celtic music radio charts. National Public Radio's "Celtic Connections" chose "Family" as the 2011 Album of the Year.

Qristina & Quinn have performed across Canada, the US and in Europe at clubs, concert halls and music festivals. They have been featured on Canadian, US and international radio and television programs including ABC, NBC, NPR, CBC, CTV, Global and many more.

Qristina and Quinn have shared the stage with many world class musicians including Ashley MacIsaac, Battlefield Band, Lau, Lunasa, Liz Carroll & John Doyle, Natalie MacMaster, The Barra McNeils plus many more.


ACCOLADES:

Winner – 2011 Irish Music Awards
- Top Duo in Festival, Pub & Concert

Nominee – 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards
- Instrumental Group of the Year
- Young Performer of the Year

Winner – 2010 Irish Music Awards
- Top Traditional Group in Festival, Pub & Concert

Nominee – 2010 Irish Music Awards
- Best New Irish Music Artist

Nominee – 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards
- Young Performer of the Year

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

"Qristina is a gutsy, fiery fiddle player, Quinn is nothing short of amazing!" - The Living Tradition Magazine

"Two of the most important young musicians in the international Celtic music scene". - World Music Central

"The Bachands have got the Celtic fever in spades and play it superbly!" - Roots Music Canada

"Scintillating medleys... powerful arrangements... scorching hot fiddle... formidable guitar playing!!! - Rogue Folk Club, Vancouver

"Qristina & Quinn are the most exciting act to come along in the world of Celtic music!" - Penguin Eggs Magazine

PAST PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS:

Vancouver Island Music Fest (2008), B.C., Canada
Islands' Folk Festival (2008), B.C., Canada
Vancouver CelticFest (2008, 2009)
Maple Sugar Festival (2007, 2008, 2009), B.C., Canada
2010 Vancouver Olympics, Vancouver & Whistler, B.C.
Celtic Colours International Festival (2009), N.S., Canada
Edmonton Folk Festival (2009), Alberta, Canada
Mariposa Folk Festival (2010), Ontario, Canada
Cavendish Beach Music Festival (2010), P.E.I., Canada
Kansas City Irish Fest (2010), Missouri, U.S.A.
Speyfest (Scotland) (2008), Scotland
Feakle Irish Music Festival (Ireland) (2008), Ireland
Aberdeen International Youth Festival,(2008) Scotland
Ten Days on the Island (2011) Australia
Castlemaine State Festival (2011) Australia
Slave Lake Concert of Hope (2011), Alberta, Canada
Milwaukee Irish Fest (2011)
Kansas City Irish Fest (2011)

Check calendar listings regularly for up-to-date schedule of upcoming shows.

Instrumentation

Quinn Bachand - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, bodhran, mandola, 5-String Banjo, Irish tenor banjo
Qristina Bachand - Vocals, Fiddle
Zac Leger - flute, whistles, mandola, Uilleann Pipes, & guitar.

Discography

(2008) "Relative Minors" - Qristina & Quinn Bachand
Instrumental - 16 tracks Total Time: 59:07

(2011) "Family" - Qristina & Quinn Bachand
Instrumental & Vocal - 12 tracks Total Time: 48:45

Both albums are available through the official website and/or through www.CDBaby.com

Links

• Facebook
• Qristina & Quinn's Youtube Channel
• Buy "Relative Minors" CD on CD Baby

Audio

• Mountain Road / Flowing Bowl / Music for a Found Harmonium
  Listen  
• Lochaber Badger / Toss the Feathers / Gravel Walks
  Listen  
• Kalyana / Banks of Loch Gowna / Jimmy Ward's
  Listen  
• Loch Mountain / Yellow Tinker / The Girl Who Broke My Heart
  Listen  
• Lonesome Eyes
  Listen  
• Red Rocking Chair / Halfmoon Bay
  Listen  
• Cumberland Gap / October
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Red Rocking Chair

Video

False Lady - Qristina & Quinn Bachand with Zac Leger.mp4

Qristina & Quinn at Raglan Road Pub - KC Irish Fest 2010.mp4

Photo Gallery

Press

• Qristina and Quinn Bachand [+ Show ]
  

  Friday, March 9, 8pm Qristina & Quinn Bachand plus Kierah St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue) ...Friday, March 9, 8pm
  Qristina & Quinn Bachand
  plus Kierah St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)
  Tickets $20 ($16 members)
  
  The Rogue presents an evening of exhilarating Celtic music performed by some of the best young musicians in this - or any - Province!
  
  The Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis this year was amazing. It always is. This was the best. Possibly. Every year feels great. Certainly it harboured the most impressive collection of Canadian
  musicians I’ve ever seen. For me, as a Folk DJ, and part of an incredible group of Folk DJs - some of whom have been hosting and
  producing shows for 50 years or more - it is a time of reaffirmation of my beliefs and my love of music. It’s also a time when I get to see some of the musicians featured at The Rogue strutting their stuff in front of my peers. And blowing them away!
  
  Case in point: the official showcase of Victoria’s Qristina and Quinn Bachand. The room was about half full, but amongst those watching were six or seven of those prominent DJs whose opinions I respect. Each and every one of them was stunned and delighted at the instrumental and vocal skills displayed in that 20 minute set. That was
  great for the band, and also for me. I know that I am a little biased (OK, a lot) but I know what I like and I think I know what you will enjoy as well. But it’s extremely valuable to have my opinions backed up so enthusiastically by Folk DJs who have every right to feel that they’ve seen it all before. In this case they hadn’t, and they were all clamouring
  to see it again.
  
  I will underline that paragraph by stating that I do not recall ever seeing a Celtic band from BC anywhere near as good as this. In 27 years as a DJ and 25 as a concert presenter. Qristina and Quinn are the best.
  
  So, who are they? Well, Quinn Bachand just turned 16 last week. He is already a veteran of the Canadian Celtic scene, having been the guitarist of choice for Ashley MacIsaac for a few years, as well as appearing twice at The Rogue last year - with his sister, and also with Oliver Swain’s Big Machine.
  
  Later in March he goes on tour with Natalie MacMaster on the east coast of the USA. Ashley and Natalie know how important it is for them to have a brilliant guitarist backing them up. They can choose from any number of fine players. It is no coincidence that they both chose Quinn
  Bachand. He is already the number one Celtic guitar accompanist in Canada. And he gets better every week!
  
  Qristina is a few years older. She is an excellent fiddler, with a joyous swing in her playing that floats sublimely over her brother’s pulsating rhythmic accompaniment. She also possesses a gorgeous singing voice, and is equally at home in old time music or Celtic. This year she
  completes her degree in Biology at UVic before entering Medical School.
  
  The two siblings are joined by Zac Leger, a flautist and uilleann piper from California. This young player is one of the top pipers in North America, and his mature, assured playing lends so much variety and texture to the music.
  
  www.qbachand.com

• Qristina & Quinn Bachand find footing with Family [+ Show ]
  

  My first exposure to family music was The Lawrence Welk Hour. It was a painful Saturday night ritual...My first exposure to family music was The Lawrence Welk Hour. It was a painful Saturday night ritual but, if you wanted to see Petticoat Junction (and we did), ‘twas a rite of passage.
  
  And, as it turned out, it was Lawrence’s “musical family” in name only, save a few Lennon Sisters’ drive-bys. Genetically, there have been many famous musical families – the Stanley Brothers, the Carpenters, the Rankins, the Cashs, the Judds and those beach-friendly Wilson boys.
  
  However, all achieved fame at later stages of life compared to young upstarts, Qristina & Quinn Bachard (who in Qhrist taught them how to spell?). But they’re surely headed in the right direction with the release of their second album, Family – and how a propos.
  
  Like most family acts, they play from a connection deeper than most – each note created by a connection that stems from growing up together, if not from swimming in the same gene pool. That Qristina is 20 and her brother, Quinn, is 14 is not worthy of mention, except to underline such ageless talents at such an early stage.
  
  They play from a place lightyears beyond their time on earth. On Family, the duo’s penchant for running jigs into reels accounts for the double and triple song titles across the release’s twelve tracks. The titles, alone, reveal their Irish roots and the duo have already earned themselves the Irish Music Association’s Top Traditional Group for 2010 (Festival, Pub and Concert category).
  
  Opening for the likes of Liz Carroll & John Doyle (their musical counterparts), Lunasa, Lau and Le Vent du Nord, the Bachands have wasted no time in elevating the status of Canadian Celtic fare on an international level.
  
  This recording, co-produced with Adrian Dolan (who also volunteers accordion and mandola) includes Oliver Swain (bass/vocals) Zac Leger (uilleann pipes, flute, whistle), Scott Senior (cajon, bonjo, shakers, percussion), Bryan Skinner (bodhran) and Felix Prummel (low whistle).
  
  Qristina’s fiddle skills are the true highlight: beautiful tone and crisp delivery. Brother Quinn anchors the rhythm with his clean guitar playing when he’s not leading the charge with his lightning quick fingerstyle picking on acoustic, electric and banjo.
  
  Qristina also offers up lovely, delicate vocals on one of the disc’s best tracks, “Smile Or Cry” and, again, on the banjo-led and the decidedly Celtic-free “Red Rocking Chair/Halfmoon Bay”, adding in a smidgen of Western Swing as Qristina’s voice rekindles the laidback sweetness of Suzy Bogguss.
  
  Other favourites include the heartfelt “Lonesome Eyes”, composed by the late, great Jerry Holland, blending deep respect and a dash of melancholy. The beautiful “Rights of Man/Cup of Tea/Rakish Paddy/Tripping Up The Stairs” begins with Qristina’s jaunty strain on fiddle that picks up steam, as Quinn’s guitar picks up the lead, adding banjo as it accelerates skyward.
  
  The CD’s most infectious track is surely the breathtaking “Inisheer”, a traditional Irish tune which reveals a passion in the elder Bachand fired by love and happy memories. You can’t play this song enough, it seems.
  
  Some might say there’s a glut of Celtic music in the marketplace and, although this release is free of any bumps or burrs due to its slightly over-crystalline production, it’s got the true spark of youth and brings that much more appeal to a wider audience than might normally be theirs.
  
  The Bachands have got the Celtic fever in spades and play it superbly. At the same time, they’re finding their footing and have time on their side. Let’s hope they fan out as musicians (and perfectionists) to develop their muse across an even wider spectrum.
  
  Recommended to anyone who leans to tapping both feet.
  

• Skilfull Family [+ Show ]
  

  Qristina & Quinn Bachand Family (Q&Q Music QQ1002, 2011) Fiddler Qristina Bachand and guitar...Qristina & Quinn Bachand
  
  Family (Q&Q Music QQ1002, 2011)
  
  Fiddler Qristina Bachand and guitarist Quinn Bachand are two siblings from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Their album Family introduces the listener to one of the most exciting recordings coming out of the roots music scene in North America. The young duo are skilled musicians who are clearly comfortable playing Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton Celtic music as well as contemporary bluegrass, swing and folk music.
  
  Qristina Bachand plays fiddle and sings on two tracks. Quinn Bachand, who is 15, plays acoustic guitars, electric guitar guitar, banjo, harmony fiddle and bodhran.
  
  Although the focus is on fiddle and guitar, the Bachands are joined by Adrian Dolan on accordion and mandola; Scott Senior on percussion; Zac Leger on whistles, flutes and pipers; Bryan Skinner on bodhran; Oliver Swain on bass; and Felix prummel on low whistle.
  
  At the age of seven Qristina Bachand began her musical studies with classical violin lessons through the Suzuki Violin Method quickly taking an interest in folk fiddle. Over the years Qristina has received many regional and national awards, trophies & scholarships for her fiddling. She received full scholarships to study Irish Fiddle at Ceili Camp (Harrison Hot Springs) and Cape Breton fiddle at the Gaelic College (Cape Breton). She has also immersed herself in the Scottish and Irish Fiddle traditions while touring & performing in those countries. Qristina has also performed in Calvin Cairns’ Fiddle Ensemble and Daniel Lapp’s B.C. Fiddle Orchestra.
  
  Quinn Bachand was honored when Cape Breton fiddling sensation Ashley MacIsaac asked him to be his sideman at the 2009 Vancouver Celticfest. Since then Quinn has performed with the acclaimed fiddler at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and across Canada at many music events and festivals such as Edmonton Folk Festival, Celtic Colours International Festival, Mariposa Folk Festival, Cavendish Music Festival and more.
  
  In addition to regular performances with his sister Qristina and with Ashley MacIsaac, Quinn has also performed with many other high profile Celtic and Jazz musicians including Buddy MacMaster, Liz Carroll, Daniel Lapp, Mark Sullivan, Pierre Schryer, Andrea Beaton, Robin Nolan, Marc Atkinson to name but a few.
  
  A superb album by the two of the most important young musicians in the international Celtic music scene.
  

• Qristina and Quinn a 'revelation' [+ Show ]
  

  Qristina & Quinn Bachand "Family" Own label, 2011 Qristina and Quinn Bachand's CD, Family, is...Qristina & Quinn Bachand "Family"
  Own label, 2011
  
  Qristina and Quinn Bachand's CD, Family, is a revelation. We're all familiar with young whippersnapper fiddlers from Atlantic Canada playing Scots and Stateside music with skill and soul, but here's a teenage prodigy from the other side of Canada who plays Irish fiddle as though she was born to it, with strong French roots and a bit of Americana thrown in. I'd never heard of Qristina Bachand, with or without a Q, or her cadet brother Quinn who accompanies on guitars and plays a mean tenor banjo, until this album appeared. Apparently they've toured in Ireland and elsewhere, and are to be seen on YouTube as well as their own website www.qbachand.com. Their brand of Qanadian music embraces a few Scots and Cape Breton tunes - a slightly slow version of Fred Morrison's composition The Lochaber Badger and a lovely waltz by Jerry Holland - as well as the old-time fiddle classic Cumberland Gap in a version inspired by bleeding-edge bluegrass bow-wielding Casey Driessen and a front-porch tune by Qristina, but the vast majority of the material here is traditional Irish, expertly played and excitingly arranged.
  The opening jig Scatter the Mud slips into a 6/8 version of The Noonday Feast before switching to more usual reel time for this great old melody. Track 1 ends with a reel learnt from Blake Ritter, the source of several tunes on Family. A set of jigs starting with Emer Mayock's Kalyana is a definite highlight, lovely lyrical playing on fiddle and flute (Zac Leger) before a powerful shift into Jim Ward's with Zac on uilleann pipes and Quinn on tenor banjo. The slow air Inisheer is beautifully bowed, contrasting perfectly with the fiery wildness of Paddy Keenan's Toss the Feathers and the old favourite Gravel Walks. An eerie rendition of The Rights of Man precedes a trio of big reels in showpiece style, before Qristina gives us the first of two songs: Smile or Cry is a composition by Edinburgh couple Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis, also known as The Cast, and Qristina sings it sweetly. Her other vocal sortie is the final track, Red Rocking Chair, an old-time standard which seems to suit her alto range and slightly earthy tone. Both songs feature fine fiddle breaks.
  The Mountain Road, Lough Mountain, The Lark in the Morning: those Irish reels and jigs keep pouring out in first class fashion. There's a bit of a wobble on The Flowing Bowl, but otherwise it's hard to fault the fiddling on this CD. Quinn's accompaniment and duets are equally impressive. The Penguin Cafe Orchestra favourite Music for a Found Harmonium is despatched with flair, and there are a couple of other unexpected treats in the reel Elzick's Farewell and the jig October from Blake Ritter's repertoire. Like I said, a revelation: great music old and new from two fresh young talents, well worth seeking out.
  © Alex Monaghan
  
  

• Qristina & Quinn Bachand - Family CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  QRISTINA & QUINN BACHAND - Family Q&Q Music QQ1002 Every once a while a CD comes in tha...QRISTINA & QUINN BACHAND - Family
  Q&Q Music QQ1002
  
  
  
  
  Every once a while a CD comes in that completely takes you by surprise. This second release from brother and sister duo from Victoria BC was one of them.
  
  Qristina is a gutsy, fiery fiddle player, who injects real life into her playing of what are in the main fairly well known and frequently heard traditional Irish tunes. And while her attacking style really suits the jigs and reels, she has an equally light and subtle touch when it comes to slower material.
  
  Quinn is nothing short of amazing. Close your eyes and listen to his up-tempo, inventive, modern guitar playing and you would swear it was John Doyle (who I always thought was in a league of his own – apparently not!) High praise indeed, especially when you realise Quinn is only 15 years old, and also plays several other instruments!
  
  Qristina gives us a couple of songs here too. She has a delicate, sweet voice, the addition of which gives the CD a nice balance. I think she could have chosen stronger songs that suited the feel of this album better, but that is a minor criticism.
  
  From the opening track, where they cleverly morph from jig to reel time in the middle of the tune, to the closing old-timey Red Rocking Chair, this is 48 minutes of nigh on perfection. A highlight for me is their handling of two slower tunes: the Irish air Inisheer, and Jerry Holland’s Lonesome Eyes. Both are treated exactly as they should be, and are allowed to shine on their own, without any overly flashy arrangements or appended up-beat tunes.
  
  Qristina and Quinn are already making a name for themselves on the international stage, and are being nominated for and winning awards all over the place. On the evidence of this CD, I am sure we will see a lot more of them.
  
  This CD surprised me. I like surprises!
  
  Fiona Heywood
  
  

• Qristina and Quinn Bachand [+ Show ]
  

  QRISTINA (yes, with a “Q”) and her younger brother, Quinn, are a formidable musical duo. At just 2...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
  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.
  See www.qbachand.com.
  —Lisa Szeker-Madden

• Penguin Eggs article on Qristina & Quinn [+ Show ]
  

  (brief excerpt from full length article): "an assured debut from a duo we are bound to be hearing mo...(brief excerpt from full length article): "an assured debut from a duo we are bound to be hearing more of".

• Focus Magazine feature on QRISTINA & QUINN BACHAND [+ Show ]
  

  The youthfull brother/sister Celtic duo of Qristina Bachand (fiddle) and Quinn Bachand (guitar; Iris...The youthfull brother/sister Celtic duo of Qristina Bachand (fiddle) and Quinn Bachand (guitar; Irish tenor banjo) have years of musical training and performing behind them, despite being just 18 and 12 respectively. They've performed across Canada, from Vancouver to Cape Breton and at festivals in Scotland and Ireland.
  
  Because British Columbia has its own style of fiddle playing, which blends Cape Breton, Scottish and Irish influences, Qristina admitted that it was daunting to play their brand of music in the countries that gave birth to the Celtic style. "It's their music," she says, "and we were worried that we wouldn't be accepted as people coming in and playing their stuff, but they really did accept it and there were a lot of nice people over there."
  
  Being siblings living under the same roof gives them special advantages musically. Says Quinn "It's good because... we get to practice and talk to each other every day. If there's a tune I like, then I can just tell her and she'll listen to it and I'll show her the recording, and then we'll try it out... It's cool." And Qristina is quick to add, "It's a great opportunity for us to strengthen our brother and sister bond... We can never break up. We're stuck with each other - and happy to be that way."
  
  Their music is a mix of traditional Celtic jigs and reels with modern originals, including some they penned themselves. Qristina's own music is inspired by her deep feelings toward something that then influences every aspect of the tune, from its title to the key and the style. One example is the rousing reel "Please Scrape your Dishes", which was inspired by a sign in the kitchen at the Gaelic College in Cape Breton, a place she loved being and where she absorbed more of the Celtic style.
  
  Their playing displays a great depth of emotional range, from the tragic and plaintive "Kathryn's Castle", written by Daniel Lapp, to its high spirited and fiery follow up,"Lost in the Loop". The pair play with an obvious sense of joy in what they do, and their dedication to their craft is evident in each tune.
  -Lisa Szeker-Madden

• Victoria teens easy on the ears [+ Show ]
  

  Bachand siblings bring Celtic sound to Cape Breton by Stephen Cooke, Entertainment Reporter. Som...Bachand siblings bring Celtic sound to Cape Breton
  by Stephen Cooke, Entertainment Reporter.
  
  Sometimes it pays to bend the rules a bit.
  
  Four years ago, 13-year-old British Columbia guitarist Quinn Bachand was technically too young to accompany his 18-year-old sister Qristina on a youth exchange to Cape Breton with the Victoria Fiddle Society, but since he was known to be a quick study at music since picking up the violin at age five, he was able to get special permission. It turned out to be an eye- and ear-opening experience.
  
  This weekend the Victoria teens make their third trip to Cape Breton as performers at Celtic Colours International Festival, and the younger Bachand is as excited as that first time he crossed the Canso Causeway to find out about where the music he and his sister loved so much came from.
  
  "It was amazing, we were going to dances and watching everybody join in the sets and it was just an awesome experience, I’d never seen anything like it before," says Quinn during a break from his school day.
  
  It’ll also be a chance to reunite with his youth exchange partner, a young Cape Breton fiddler named Douglas Cameron, and the two friends will get a chance to perform together on Sunday afternoon at The Cape Breton Fiddlers Association concert at the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts in St. Anns.
  
  It’s one of four shows featuring the Bachands, including From Coast to Coast at the Wagmatcook Culture and Heritage Centre on Saturday night with Ashley MacIsaac, Sierra Noble and Fidil, All in the Family on Sunday night at the Whycocomagh Education Centre with the Barra MacNeils, plus Ireland’s the Begleys and sisters Maighread and Triona Ni Dhomhnaill.
  
  Their weekend wraps up on Thanksgiving Monday night at the D’Escousse Community Hall for Acadien Roots with MacIsaac and Quebec’s Le Vent du Nord.
  
  The festival trip sounds like a match for the siblings’ 2007 visit, when they played a four-hour set at The Red Shoe and joined Buddy MacMaster on stage at The Barn at The Normaway Inn.
  
  "I really enjoyed being at the Gaelic college and getting the chance to meet all these great musicians," Quinn recalls. "I mean, they’re all really talented and can really play the fiddle, but they can all dance, too. A lot of them also play piano; they’re so multi-talented.
  
  "And I like getting to hear Dave MacIsaac; he’s probably my favourite guitarist from out there."
  
  Quinn and Qristina are no slouches either. Their CD Relative Minors is a terrific showcase for their talent and versatility, displaying a faculty with a broad range of styles, including Scottish, Irish and Appalachian folk. Qristina’s bow arm is limber and expressive, while Quinn can play delicate patterns or strum up a storm as the tunes require. He also loves to play the gypsy jazz style made famous by Django Reinhardt, and of late has been lending his fingers to the clawhammer banjo.
  
  Then again, he did start playing with Celtic Colours veteran Daniel Lapp at the age of 11. Check out the clip of them together on YouTube, with Quinn playing along with the B.C. multi-instrumentalist at top speed and not missing a beat.
  
  "It’s an honour to play with Daniel," says Quinn. "When I was still just playing violin, my sister played with Daniel in the British Columbia Fiddle Orchestra, and I was always listening to him, and I loved how he could also play the trumpet and the guitar and do all these different things.
  
  "I started playing with him at these Irish Times gatherings, and it was this great Daniel Lapp experience. He starts off playing Celtic, and then he goes off into this jazzy improvisation stuff. When I play with him, we go into a groove and I just try to play what I think will sound good. You just have to be able to blend all the different styles."
  
  One of the people impressed by the clips of Quinn and Lapp was Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac, who has since become a big booster of the Bachands. The Creignish Celtic iconoclast invited Quinn to accompany him on his home turf at their shows together, after the two played together at a couple of western festivals last year.
  
  "In Vancouver we came up with a set beforehand, and that’s what we played, but at the Edmonton Folk Festival he did a lot of stuff I hadn’t heard before, and that really stretched my mind in terms of improvising," says Quinn.
  
  "He also played some of the tunes we did in Vancouver, but then he added a bunch of other things, and we did a 10-minute set of tunes with Tullochgorum and some others. It definitely came together on the fly."
  
  And once again this weekend, Quinn will need to get special permission to show off his talent at the Gaelic college’s after-hours festival club, which runs every night until 3 a.m. in the great hall in St. Anns.
  
  "We’ll see how they manage that, because once you get him on stage and get him playing, it’s hard to hold him back," laughs his mother Marie, who also acts as her children’s "momager." "We may have to start another jam some other place."
  
  

• Penguin Eggs - Relative Minors by Qristina and Quinn Bachand [+ Show ]
  

  With the sparkling litlt in Qristina Bachand's fiddling and the solid accompaniment of her brother Q...With the sparkling litlt in Qristina Bachand's fiddling and the solid accompaniment of her brother Quinn's guitar, you'd be forgiven for thinking the Victoria, B.C., siblings grew up playing Celtic music from the time they first cracked open their eyes.
  
  It actually took a concert by another group of dynamic young Celtic players to light the torch. "We were both playing violin and getting into Celtic music," recalls Quinn, 12, of their epiphany. "Then we went to see a Barrage concert - that's what really drew us to the music."
  
  The brother and sister duo is quickly emerging on the Canadian Celtic music landscape. Their recently released debut CD, Relative Minors, is a nod to the rich canon of music that has influenced their young careers. "People were coming up to us at our live shows and asking for CDs," says Qristina, 18. "It came to a point that it was worth making a CD".
  
  The group is a total family affair. While their mother, Marie, handles to booking and the publicity, their father, Adrien, set up a home studio to record their debut album. They tracked everything in the family home, with Aaron Scoones engineering the sessions and Adrian Dolan mixing and mastering the recording. Victoria piper Eric Reiswig dropped by to add some uillean pipes and flutes to several tracks. Dave Klassen played bass, Russ Godfrey brought percussion to some tunes and Adrian Dolan added accordion to the last track. Throughout the 16 instrumentals on the disc, Qristina's fiddling is polished and mature, pushed along with Quinn's robust guitar comping. Most of the material was drawn from their extensive stage list. Rather than tackle the broad variety of tunes in their repertoire - from Appalachian mountain music to Gypsy swing - they focused on the rich Celtic traditions.
  
  "We wanted the CD to be Celtic, so we drew from different Celtic styles - Irish, Scotting, French, Canadian and Cape Breton," explains Qristina. "Celtic music is a beautiful tradition and it really brings people together."
  
  That Celtic tradition, and some tireless organizning by their mom, brought the Bachands and 17 other young Victoria musicians to Cape Breton Island in the summer of 2006 for a cultural exchange (Twenty one Cape Breton musicians made the return trip to Vancouver Island).
  
  The trip was an ear-opening experience for Qristina and Quinn, who jammed with several of the best Cape Breton fiddlers during their 10-day visit.
  
  "We play mainly Irish music in Victoria, so the ornamentation and the feel (of the Cape Breton style) is definately different - it's definately meant for dancing." The duo includes some well known Cape Breton sets on the album, as well as tunes by their friend and mentor Daniel Lapp and Liz Carroll.
  
  The pair is already experiencing the wider Celtic world. Last summer they performed as part of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, and also at Speyfest in Scotland and the Feakle Festival in Ireland.
  
  The Bachands have an avid following on YouTube (www.youtube.com/TheBachands), and were invited to Toronto last November for the launch of YouTube Canada. They carefully monitored visits to their YouTube site to determine what the fans were listening to, and then used that information to help decide which tunes to choose for the albmum.
  
  Check out their website at http://www.qbachand.com
  
  -by Sandy MacDonald

• Relative Minors - Qristina & Quinn Bachand (independent) CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  When I first heard this fiddle/guitar duo live, they were playing in another room, out of my view. W...When I first heard this fiddle/guitar duo live, they were playing in another room, out of my view. When I saw them, I was amazed at their ages, especially Quinn, the guitarist—he was only 13! He and his 18-year-old fiddle-playing sister Qristina are amazingly accomplished, moving easily from one song set to the next. Fortunately, this energy transferred well to their first CD. Beautiful Celtic fiddle and guitar work can be found throughout Relative Minors, some with accompaniment (Dave Klassen, Russ Godfrey, Eric Reiswig and Adrian Dolan) and some as a duo. The liner notes are well researched and give the background of many of the tunes, as recollected by the songs’ writers. Q&Q;have contributed a few of their own tunes as well. Qristina and Quinn produced the CD and recorded in their own studio and have done an excellent job of putting a “kitchen party” atmosphere on record. Q&Q;have already opened for many prominent bands, and attracted much attention from some of the top players in their field. Give Relative Minors a try and find out what all the excitement is about.
  —Rod McCrimmon
  
  

• Unique style at Feakle Festival! [+ Show ]
  

  A brother and sister pairing from Canada wowed the crowds with their unique style at this year's Fea...A brother and sister pairing from Canada wowed the crowds with their unique style at this year's Feakle Festival where they took to the stage as part of the outdoor concert on Sunday.
  
  Qristina Bachand aged 17 on fiddle and her brother Quinn aged 12 on guitar became well-known through the internet and it was the internet that brought them to Feakle and to Ireland for the first time.
  
  This brother and sister duo launched a Youtube site which earned them rave reviews from audiences all over the world and led to young Quinn to play backing the world famous fiddle player Liz Carroll.

Setlist

We have enough varied repertoire to play for over 4 hours. Festival sets are usually 45 minutes to 1 hour long. We've done more and we've also done less.

Although we specialize in Irish traditional music, we also like to play a variety of other Celtic styles, including Scottish, Cape Breton, Breton, Canadian and Old-Time.

Our repertoire consists of mostly traditional tunes, but we also play contemporary & original Celtic music.

Qristina: fiddle, vocals

Quinn: Acoustic guitar, Irish tenor banjo, Clawhammer banjo, electric guitar

Additional Band Instruments:
uilleann pipes, mandola, bodhran, percussion, electrical guitar, flute, low whistle, whistle

Basic Requirements

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