For a multi-instrumentalist, the combination of fiddle and trumpet is certainly unique, and Daniel Lapp is one of the few musicians who excels in both. “There are only a couple of us around that I know of,” Lapp remarked, as he prepares to perform with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra this weekend.
Lapp boasts an impressive career that includes touring with notable artists such as Spirit of the West, Barney Bentall, and Rickie Lee Jones. He is also the founder of the B.C. Fiddle Orchestra, which highlights young talent, and has received numerous accolades, including a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Service Award, a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association, and the Canadian Folk Music Association’s Innovator Award. Additionally, Lapp performed at the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
In a recent phone interview with Okanagan Newspaper Group, Lapp shared the beginnings of his musical journey. “They’re both melody instruments,” he said, explaining how his grandfather, an old-time dance fiddler, taught him to play the fiddle, which led to his love for music. Lapp’s passion for the trumpet began when, at the age of 11, he discovered a Dixieland jazz LP that featured tunes his grandfather had played on the fiddle. “I bought that record, because I recognized tunes that my grandpa played. I heard jazz for the first time and fell in love with trumpet.”
Growing up in Prince George as the youngest of six children, Lapp was surrounded by musical instruments, including a clarinet and saxophone. His brother later found a trumpet at a flea market, which he gave to Lapp. His band teacher played a significant role in his development, as Lapp soon found himself performing in four different high school bands.
A strong advocate for music education, Lapp credits his school music programs with shaping his life. “It certainly helped the high school and elementary school experience for me, it changed my life. I found a community with those students that was an alternative to some of the other groups that form in high school. Music provides such a great way to learn communication with others, learning skills, and setting goals and expressing thoughts and feelings.”
Lapp, who is also the artistic director of the School of Contemporary Music, averages 50 performance dates each year. When asked which instrument he is more proficient at, Lapp explained, “I put in the same amount of time on both instruments. Fiddle music is music of my family and my roots, trumpet and jazz have been my passion. The violin is more challenging for me. The trumpet is brutal if you take a couple of weeks off; violin has a long, slow learning curve.”
Reflecting on his years of performing, Lapp cited a particularly memorable experience playing with his band, Lapp Electro, at Peter Gabriel’s music festival in Seattle. “No one really knew who we were, but by the end of the show, 3,000 people just went hysterical. We really connected.”
Lapp’s performance with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra will feature both jazz music and fiddle classics, under the direction of guest conductor Jeff Garagher. Daniel Lapp and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra will perform Friday at the Kelowna Community Theatre and Saturday at Penticton’s Cleland Theatre. Lapp is also offering a fiddle music workshop on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Rotary Centre for the Arts in Kelowna.
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