Canada's beloved fiddler Oliver Schroer died on Thursday, July 3rd of leukemia. The 52-year-old avant garde musician passed away in Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto after fighting leukemia for over a year.
The composer and fiddler became known for his unique style of playing and for his diverse influences, ranging from Asian, Balkan and Scandinavian folk music as well as jazz.
Oliver Schroer: Pilgrimages and Hymns
Schroer (known more affectionately as Oli on his website) has released multiple albums, including Camino, a project inspired by a trek along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. The 1,000 kilometer path through Northern Spain has been traveled by pilgrims since the 9th century. Schroer's open and spacious fiddling, recorded in the acoustically vibrant churches he found along the trail, evokes both the history of the trail and the space of the great outdoors.
After he was diagnosed with leukemia, Schroer released another album that showcased his love of reflective hymns. When other introspective pieces crept into the track list, Schroer decided to name the album "Hymns and Hers" to illustrate how the two varieties of music complemented each other.
Performing with Everyone
In addition to his solo work, Schroer has also performed with several other musicians including Bruce Cockburn, James Keelaghan, Loreena McKennitt, Sylvia Tyson, violinist Anne Lindsay and bands such as Great Big Sea and Spirit of the West.
The full list, found on Schroer's website, is quite lengthy: over the course of 25 years, Schroer managed to perform on over 100 albums.
Schroer also played with young, less established musicians, creating a team of experimental string players called The Twisted String. He organized the players into squads of 8-12 musicians and composed music for them, often based on Celtic melodies blended with a multitude of other styles.
Dealing with Death
Schroer faced his illness with humor and a renewed sense of creativity. In addition to releasing two more albums, he also played while in the hospital and continued composing. His website promotes leukemia awareness and offers an opportunity to donate to the Oliver Schroer Scholarship Trust Fund. This fund provides scholarships to young, boundary-pushing string players.
A month ago, Schroer gave his final concert titled Oliver's Last Concert on his Tour of this Planet on June 5, determined to keep making music until the end.
Sources
Quill, Greg. "Oliver Schroer, 52: Boundary-Pushing Violinist." July 7, 2008. The Toronto Star.
"Canadian Composer, Fiddler Oliver Schroer Dies at 52." July 7, 2008. CBC Music.
"Prolific Fiddler Oliver Schroer Dies of Cancer." July 4, 2008. CTV News.
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