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Spending Canada Day at Orwell Village is a tradition for many in eastern PEI. It's a lazy, lemonade and ice-cream sort of day. There are races-potato sack or three legged to the schoolhouse and back. And, also traditional, there are twin boys who, long legs and hair flying, win most of the races in their age group. After they have caught their breath, the boys just might pick up their fiddles and play a tune.
Now nineteen years old, twins Colin and Tristan Jeffrey laughingly confess that all is not as it seems. Not only are they fraternal rather than identical twins (as the first appear to be), their first love and commitment is not the fiddle but classical violin.
Striving to become professional violinists, Colin and Tristan have completed their second year of music studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Having begun taking violin at their school in Massachusetts when Tristan was eight and Colin nine, the twins continue to practice three hours every day. "At opposite sides of the house," they laugh.
But not because of competition. "We learn in different ways and will be working on different technical pieces," explains Tristan. "Plus," adds Colin, "I'm left-handed and Tristan's right-handed so we're both better at different things."
When the twins relax from the challenge of their classical music studies, they like to play fiddle. "It's easier to have fun with and it loosens you up," Colin says.
Their introduction to traditional music came from Maritime tapes the family would pick up on frequent visits to the Island before their move to Pinette in 1994. The boys learned to play along and eventually became members of the Queens County Fiddlers.
This summer, the twins will be showing their talent in several venues.They will be performing at the Benevolent Irish Society Hall in Charlottetown every Wednesday evening at 8 pm with their father, Kevin, on guitar and vocals, they will present a show called Ireland meets Scotland. It tells the story of the Irish and Scottish settlers who brought their Celtic heritages to PEI and will feature both styles of fiddle and dancing. Marlys Hamilton of Summerside will dance Highland step and Irish styles.
The Jeffrey's CD, of the same name as their show, will be on sale at shows and at tourist outlets on the Island.
Colin and Tristan will also be playing fiddle at the Point Prim Chowder House for a dinner and music show each Tuesday at 6:30 pm. They'll be performing classical music at Macphail Homestead's luncheons from 12-2 pm every Sunday in July and August.
Or you could drop down to Orwell Village on Canada Day where they will play from 2-4 pm in the community hall (during the races!).