| Instructors listed alphabetically: Biographies will be added as instructors are added to the 2026 Roster. |
Michele Amy – Camp Director, Both Weeks
A classically trained musician, Michele is a traditional fiddle player who believes strongly in preserving our Canadian heritage. Michele has studied many of Canada’s best fiddle players and teachers in her quest to find an authentic sound. Working to preserve heritage in her corner of Saskatchewan, she now teaches a large studio of students, runs the Kenosee Lake Kitchen Party (Saskatchewan’s flagship fiddle camp) and promotes traditional fiddling through workshops, shows, school events, teacher training and by publishing curriculum designed to preserve the tunes of the prairies. |
Caitlin Baker – Kids KLKP Fiddle, Week ONE While growing up in Grand Rapids, Manitoba, Caitlin Baker began playing the fiddle at the age of four. After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Music (Violin Performance) with a minor in Gender & Women’s Studies at Brandon University, Caitlin is now based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. With her love for a wide variety of musical genres, Caitlin loves exploring styles new to her. As a side-player and session musician, Caitlin has been enjoying collaborating, performing, and recording with a number of artists, including Mitchell Makoons, Erika Fowler, Sean Burns, Monday Morning Quarterback, Bobby Dove, Eric Lavoie, and Trevor Crook. In addition to performing, Caitlin is also an experienced educator. She currently teaches from her private studio in Winnipeg, and is often on the road, instructing at a variety of music workshops and camps throughout the year. Caitlin is known for her ability to connect with her students, prioritizing the cultivation of excitement and confidence in their art. When she isn’t making music, you’ll likely find Caitlin reading a book, camping, or playing crib! |
Ray Bell – Guitar, Week ONE
Ray Bell is an enthusiastic music educator with over 40 years experience helping guitarists of all levels and ages reach their full music potential. Ray is in demand as a guitar instructor and has taught at music camps throughout Western Canada starting in 1998 when he was asked to teach the guitar class at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp. As a live performer Ray has toured the Canada, the UK and the USA, and has appeared BBC and CBC Radio and Television networks. He has performed at Bluegrass and Folk Festivals on both sides of the Atlantic including The Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival in Washington State, The Island Music Festival in Courtney B.C. The Redcar Folk Festival in the U.K. and many others. Ray has also performed on Canada Day in Ottawa and has played for the Queen. Ray’s playing can be heard on numerous recordings both as a solo artist and studio musician. |
Eli Bender – Cello, Week ONE
Multi-instrumentalist, teacher, leader, performer, Eli is an all around treasure on camp.Hailing from Michigan with 10 Canadian years under his belt, Eli Bender has made a career out of bringing people together through music. Whether fiddling it on on the ‘cello with the Shoeless Trio, thumping out cumbia grooves with Compassion Gorilla, or diving deep into twin-floor-fiddle harmonies with the cello duo Hale & Hearty, they’ve always found a way to keep toes tapping and spirits high. |
Rachel Capon – Cello, Week ONE Rachel Capon is an innovative and boundary-pushing multi-genre cellist. It is Rachel’s desire to be a lifelong student of the cello that has set her apart from many others. Her ability to adapt and engage in new musical settings is what has made her one of North America’s most exciting cellists. Her versatility has made her an active session musician working on projects from hip-hop, Cuban, jazz, folk, country, bluegrass, and classical. At the University of Victoria, Rachel obtained her Bachelor of Music. Relocating to Toronto, Rachel definitively pushed her musical territory beyond the classical realm. With the guidance of Yo-Yo Ma, Rachel traveled to New York City to study with avant-garde cellist Mike Block. She found herself immersed in the world of North American and World fiddle/folk styles, discovering new territories for her beloved cello. This trajectory has seen Rachel working with artists such as John Reischman, Gary Fjellgaard, The Illusion Theatre, The Other Guys Theater Company, Miranda Mulholland, k-os, Pacific Opera Victoria, and Alex Cuba. Most recently Rachel was the founding Artistic Director of The Esky Baroque orchestra in Escanaba Michigan and The Gabriola String Retreat on Gabriola Island. Now residing on Gabriola Island, BC, with her husband and cellist Eli Bender. Rachel is stepping into her new honored position as both mother and cellist!
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Kylee Carver – Admin /Social Media , Both Weeks
Phenomenal Musician and organizer, Kylee will be filling in all over campus, ensuring KLKP’s social media is on point, coordinating the Bridge program, which is the program that allows kids ages 13 – 15 to attend KLKP without parental guidance, as Kylee supervises the “Teen Wranglers” and ensures the physical, social and emotional well-being of our teens during the week, as well as monitoring their musical interractions. You’ll see her onstage, singing with the band, hitting the piano, coaching in between filling in for Michele as needed. Or just sitting by her camper, strumming and jamming and mixing up a mean “beverage of choice.” |
Chris Coole – Banjo, Week TWO Photo and bio to come |
Ryan D’Aoust – Fiddle, Week TWO
His first album “South Side of the Strings” recorded in 2006 when he was still a teenager won a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for best fiddling album of the year. His second album entitled “York Boats And Legends” included four original compositions which drew inspiration from his home community and supportive family. |
Emily Dubois – KitchenFest Admin, Both Weeks / Kids KLKP Fiddle, Week TWO
Emily has now settled in Regina, where she runs private and group lessons through the Flatland Fiddling Studio. You can find more information about Emily and the Flatland Fiddling Studio at flatlandfiddling.com Emily brings great creativity and energy to her playing and performing, and a solid teaching style when working with students. We are pleased to see some of these musicians come full circle, and return as dedicated teachers at KLKP. |
Mitch Dureault – Kids KLKP Fiddle, Both Weeks.
Born and raised in southern Saskatchewan, Mitch Dureault has a mixed foundation of his grandfather’s old-time traditions, mixed with prairie dance repertoire, and a touch of Celtic. In high demand as a teacher,Mitch regularly teaches fiddle across Saskatchewan with Community Arts Mentorship Program, in the Northwest Territories with the Kole Crook Fiddle Association, and pops into northern Manitoba here and there with the Frontier School Division, working with hundreds of students each month, alongside his own private studio. Mitch is passionate about the history of the fiddle in our province, and you can hear that passion shine through not only the tunes he plays but also the stories that accompany them. As an avid collector of fiddle history, Mitch has been working on archiving and preserving the Saskatchewan Fiddle scene for the past 5 years. In high demand as a teacher, Mitch regularly teaches fiddle across Saskatchewan with the Community Arts Mentorship Program, in the Northwest Territories with the Kole Crook Fiddle Association, and pops into northern Manitoba here and there with the Frontier School Division, working with hundreds of students each month, alongside his own private studio. Mitch is passionate about the history of the fiddle in our province, and you can hear that passion shine through not only the tunes he plays but also the stories that accompany them. As an avid collector of fiddle history, Mitch has been working on archiving and preserving the Saskatchewan fiddle scene for the past five years. |
Will Elliott – Tech/Sound/Admin, Both Weeks
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Tom Gammons – Guitar, Week TWO
Another full circle KLKP participant, Tom originally attended KLKP as a student, learning from such guitar masters as Jake Charron, Ken Hamm, and Ben Knorr. He continued his education at the Holland College School of Performing Arts in P.E.I. where he currently makes his home. Now playing with the group Inn Echo, who are becoming a high-demand group in festivals worldwide; touring in Australia, the UK and coast-to-coast within Canada. They were even recently nominated for a Juno Award for Roots Traditional Album of the Year for their album Hemispheres! Tom also plays in a duo with Ray Knorr, as Gommons & Knorr. Their debut EP Bird’s Eye was released in spring, 2025. Tom actively pursues diverse education to further his own playing, but has also become the Island’s go-to guitarist for trad musicians, leading sessions, and playing dances when not touring his own material. |
JJ Guy – Fiddle, Week ONE
A member of the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame, J.J. Guy is a well-known Canadian fiddler, hailing from rural Saskatchewan. His playing is deeply rooted in the traditions of the prairies from growing up playing old-time dances and competing in fiddle competitions. |
Karen Gwillim – Sound Tech, Both Weeks
I grew up on a farm in the Strasbourg/Duval, SK area, and my family played music at family gatherings. I learned piano and singing, completing Royal Conservatory exams and eventually a diploma in vocal performance from Grant MacEwan. I spent 10 years teaching voice, and I dabbled in the technical side of music since 2003. I made some good connections through volunteer work and the tech side of my work life expanded until I decided to pursue it full time. My specialty is in live music sound reinforcement. I work in clubs, venues, at festivals, and small tours. Some of my current regular work in Saskatchewan is with The Artesian, Casino Regina, Conexus Arts Centre, Saskatoon Jazz Festival, Ness Creek Music Festival, Gateway Festival, and Shake the Lake. I tour with artists such as The Fretless and Royal Wood and I have been show producer for the Sask Music Awards since 2023. I have taught many workshops for musicians and audio technicians on the various aspects of live sound, including lesser covered topics like professional communication. I enjoy working with people to improve their equipment set up and their understanding of how to use it. |
Anthony Kelly – “School of Rock” with Morgan Turk, Week ONE
Guitarist, song-writer, side-player and lead singer: Anthony’s musical career has been steeped in inclusion. Coming from a musical family, Anthony grew up performing,playing and singing in his family band. He expanded on this to follow solo projects, mentor and nurture other young players and the next generation of musicians and performers. Anthony raised a family of musical daughters, singing harmony with them at young ages, and he has been teaching with KLKP every single year that we have been in operation, but seldom in the same class or location! |
Daniel Koulack – Banjo / Guitar, Both Weeks
Daniel Koulack, whose music includes a broad range of genres, is a respected multi-instrumentalist and teacher on the Canadian music scene. At eleven years of age he bought a banjo with money saved up from his paper route, and a year later he made his professional debut at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Twice-nominated for the Junos, Daniel has released three solo albums and regularly collaborates with Canada’s best musicians across genres. Daniel has been a beloved teacher at KLKP for many years, and his bass playing is a constant on our concert stage. |
Ameena Bajer-Koulack – Kids KLKP Lead, Week TWO
Ameena has been playing fiddle from the age of five, when her dad taught her to play her very first fiddle tune; Boil them Cabbages. Since then, she has explored various musical forms, studying classical violin, piano, clawhammer banjo, voice, and traditional fiddle music. A passionate and charismatic teacher, she is in high demand as a workshop instructor, and regularly teaches both privately and at camps in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. She has also taught extensively in northern Manitoba through the Frontier School Division’s fiddle program, and taught in Nunavut with the Tusarnaarniq Sivumut Association. Ameena loves working with students of all ages, and always aims to keep joy and community at the heart of everything she does. |
Patti Kusturok – Fiddle: Dance Tunes, Both Weeks
At the age of four, Patti began to learn playing the fiddle, and has a resume that reads like that of an Olympic champion. A few to her credit includes the Canadian Junior Champion (1985), 3-time Champion at the famous Pembroke, ON competition, 6 time Manitoba Champion, 3 time Grand North American Champion, and in 1994, 1995 and again in 1996, Patti won the prestigious Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship in Ottawa, ON. Patti was the first woman in the history of Canada to ever win and was the very first person from Western Canada to attain the crown. Patti is known across the country in the fiddle music world and with her humble demeanour and personable stage presence allows the audience to soak in the music and connect with her in a special way. Patti has a razor sharp wit and when she starts playing her fiddle the musical spirits instantly come alive in whatever room she’s playing!! After being one of the most sought after old time dance players in her home province of Manitoba, Patti has taken that amazing feel and drive, mixed it up with a little humour, and put together a fun and entertaining show that will have you laughing and stomping your feet, with maybe even a tear or two as you allow yourself to remember the good old days of having a kitchen party until the wee hours. |
Stéphanié Labbé – Fiddle, Week ONE
Stéphanie Labbé is a versatile violinist and multi-instrumentalist from Drummondville, Québec, with a long and rich experience performing and teaching across multiple musical traditions, including classical, country, jazz, and traditional Québécois music. A passionate educator, Stéphanie holds a Master’s degree in Instrumental Didactics from Université Laval (2019) and founded École TRAD in 2011, a school dedicated to the teaching of traditional Québécois fiddling. She has been sharing her knowledge of this rich musical heritage with audiences across Canada and the American West since 2003. On stage, Stéphanie has toured and recorded with some of Québec’s most beloved artists, including Cœur de Pirate, Édith Butler, and Claire Pelletier, and has appeared on numerous television productions across Canada. At KLKP, she brings her deep roots in the living tradition of Québécois fiddle music — jigs, reels, and the infectious grooves of the veillée — making it accessible and joyful for players of all levels. Come discover the soul of Québec through its music! |
Brii LaPlante – ART, Both Weeks
Brianna LaPlante is a Fine Artist from Fishing Lake First Nation. Her art is used as her voice, informed by the intersections of her valuable life experiences. Her works are predominantly within the two-dimensional realm, bringing spaces to life through the choices of line, colour, pattern, and symbolism. Her art is produced with the technical tools and teachings of the urban world, backed with the traditional practices and stories of culture. Artwork is an act of lifelong learning and resilience for Brii as an Anishinaabe/nehiyaw/Métis creator. |
Troy MacGillivray – Fiddle, Week ONE / Piano, Week TWO Troy is one of our favourite Canadian players, and a true master of both the piano and the fiddle. A sought after teacher and performer, we’re very pleased that he’ll be at KLKP for both weeks in 2025. Raised in Lanark, Nova Scotia, his musical prowess can be attributed to an especially rare combination of commitment and bloodline. By the age of six, Troy was already impressing audiences with his step dancing skills. By 13 he was teaching piano at the renowned Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts in St. Anne’s, Cape Breton. He has completed grade seven of the Toronto Conservatory of Music for classical piano, has spent four years in a stringed orchestra and has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in music from St. Francis Xavier University. Troy’s latest project, When Here Meets There, is a unique collaboration with Canadian & US National Fiddle Champion Shane Cook that showcases why both fiddlers are at the top of their game. “Individually, these two fiddlers are virtuosic musicians and dynamic performers; together, stimulating and feeding off of each other and their top-tier back-up musicians, they are inspirational.” (Dr. Sherry Johnson – York University, Toronto) The last few years have been incredibly busy ones for Troy MacGillivray. In 2004, he was the recipient of the “Auleen Theriault Young Tradition Award” from the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival in Goderich, Ontario — an award given to an artist that shows outstanding talent and love for traditional and roots based music. He embarked on an impressive Canadian tour in support of his independently-produced CD, Boomerang; recorded a television program for the Bravo Television Network and provided music for a CBS made-for-TV movie starring Jane Seymour. In 2005/2006, Troy made his first of many appearances at Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Scotland where he was chosen as the winner of the honourable “Danny Kyle Stage”. He also showcased at a number of prestigious events, including the East Coast Music Awards, Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the Barbados Celtic Festival and the Edinburgh Fiddle Festival – not to mention a Dave Gunning tour of Western Canada, and numerous dances, concerts and ceilidhs throughout Canada and the United Kingdom The fast pace that is Troy MacGillivray continues! From repeat appearances at Scotland’s Celtic Connections Festival to a tour in British Columbia to appearing at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championships to promotional tours in Toronto, Ottawa, Boston and Chicago, Troy continues to impress and amaze audiences around with world with his incredible array of talent. In between his busy touring scheduled, he also managed to complete the Applied Music Technology program at McKenzie College, studying recording engineering in 2006. Whether playing piano or fiddle, or showcasing his stepdancing capabilities, Troy MacGillivray displays a unique sense of pride and commitment to his Celtic heritage and his music continues to add to the history and development of the traditional music that is the epitome of the Maritimes, the place he calls home! |
Mitchell Mozdzen – Kids KLKP Guitar, Week ONE
Mitchell is an active member of the Manitoba Metis community, with specific ties to the Manitoba House Metis community. He comes from a long line of voyageurs and HBC workers and is a citizen of the Northwest region of the Manitoba Metis Federation. Mitchell has familial ties to the community of Ebb & Flow First Nation. In June 2024 he was asked to represent the Metis nation, accompanying fiddler Morgan Grace in Normandy, France for the D-day 80th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony. In 2021, he updated his stage name to “Mitchell Makoons,” though he previously released 5 EPs under his legal name, “Mitchell Mozdzen.” Each of these EPs were in a different genre – a long term project with the intent of working on his production skills in these styles and learning from each genre. This had a huge influence on the current music he makes. In 2022, he completed his second degree at Brandon University and currently holds a B.A. 3Y.R in Music and a B. Mus. in Jazz Performance.
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Scott Perrie (Winsome Kind) – Kids KLKP Guitar, Week TWO
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Ben Plotnick – Fiddle, Week ONE
Ben Plotnick has established himself over the last decade and a half as one of North America’s elite fiddle players. With a variety of acts, (most consistently with progressive folk string quartet The Fretless), he has performed all across 4 continents. He has recorded on hundreds of albums as a session musician, performed at arenas and festivals across the continent with country, folk, Americana and bluegrass bands, and produced/written/arranged for dozens of records, for himself, for other collaborative projects or as a freelance arranger/ producer. |
Mairi Rankin – Fiddle, Week TWO
Born in Mabou, Mairi Rankin is a fiddler who has been influenced by some of the best Cape Breton traditional musicians and instructors on the island. She has developed her own unique style by being immersed in this rich musical culture, pulling from her native Cape Breton and her strong Scottish roots from North Uist. Mairi has toured nationally and internationally as a performer and educator in both fiddle and step dance. She has performed as a solo artist, a side musician, and as a member of both the Cape Breton super group Beòlach and the highly acclaimed Scottish / Irish / Canadian band The Outside Track. Mairi has recorded one solo album, three with Beòlach, seven with The Outside Track, and one as a duo with cellist Eric Wright. |
Shamma Sabir – Fiddle, Week TWO
Shamma has been a passionate ambassador of fiddle music from the time she heard the first strains of Faded Love. She still remembers it. She was 11-years old and she knew she had to learn music that made her heart ache and her feet tap all at the same time. Since then she has played and taught her way through much of the Canadian landscape while completing a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology. Through this blend of passions, she has been able to learn and develop effective teaching techniques that take into acount how learning happens. This journey has formed her mission: to spread the love of fiddle music, paired with an understanding of how people learn, supported by fundamental technique, to ensure that you love the way you sound. From her website: Layer Cake Mountain :https://layercakemountain.ca/ |
Karrnnel Sawitsky – Fiddle, Week ONE
Karrnnel Sawitsky is a Juno Award winner and three-time nominee and has built an international reputation as a recording artist, performer, teacher, and composer who continually pushes the boundaries of fiddle music. With more than thirty-five years devoted to the instrument, Karrnnel has performed extensively across Canada, the United States, and Europe, earning acclaim for his distinctive sound, exceptional technique, and dynamic live performances. Raised in a touring family band in Saskatoon, SK, Karrnnel went on to co-found the acclaimed string quartet The Fretless, whose award-winning recordings helped redefine contemporary folk and string music. Alongside releasing nine award-nominated albums since 2009, he has composed more than 300 original pieces and continues to push the boundaries of his work. Deeply committed to music education, Karrnnel has shared the traditions of fiddle music with over 10,000 students through workshops and creative music programs that inspire the next generation of artists. www.karrnnel.com |
Rob Skeet – Week TWO: Accompany yourself singing! Bring your instrument of choice…
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Rowan Teasdale – Kids KLKP Ukulele, Both Weeks
She has encapsulated KLKP jam tunes into book format, has published several ukulele songbooks to help her students, as well as violin technique made simple. She loves to call dances, create community and believes in a barrier-free acceptance of all. |
Donna Turk – Fiddle, Week ONE / “Trad Band” with Jacquie Walbaum, Week TWO
Donna Turk is a Saskatchewan-based fiddler, violin teacher, and performer who lives in Forget, where she runs a music studio with her husband Morgan. She has been teaching fiddle and classical violin for over 30 years, working with students of all ages. Donna performs with the Regina-area Celtic band The Tilted Kilts, appearing at festivals and events across Saskatchewan and Alberta, and performs with singer-songwriter Dara Schindelka as the duo Range Road Girls, sharing original and traditional music. She loves inspiring musicians at camps and workshops, travelling across Western Canada and |
Morgan Turk – “School of Rock”, Week ONE / Guitar, Week TWO Morgan Turk is a standout guitarist whose powerful, expressive playing spans blues, rock, and country. With over 25 years of professional performance experience, he spent eight years as lead guitarist for the Kirby Sewell Band, earning a Maple Blues Award for Best New Artist and touring extensively across Canada and the U.S., appearing at major blues festivals. Now based in Saskatchewan, Morgan performs with Teagan Littlechief of White Bear First Nation in both a duo and full band, touring throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with students and brings energy, musicianship, and a deep passion for live performance to every workshop and camp. |
Jacquie Walbaum – Kids KLKP, Week ONE / “Trad Band” with Donna Turk, Week TWO
Jacquie Walbaum is an educator by day and a performer at heart, teaching Grades 7–12 while pouring the same passion into the classroom that she brings to the stage. She is one half of Sirens Dueling Pianos, alongside Kylee Carver, the only all-female dueling pianos show performing across Saskatchewan, with regular appearances in Alberta and Manitoba. Known for high-energy performances, connection-driven music, and crowd-engaging fun, Sirens turns every show into a shared experience. Jacquie loves people, thrives on making new friends, and believes music is one of the most powerful ways to bring humanity together. Deeply committed to inspiring and nurturing the next generation, she hopes to help others become the best version of themselves, on stage, in the classroom, and in life. Her first loves are her three daughters and her husband, and together they share a love of making music and reaching straight into the heart of every crowd. |
Eric Wright – Cello, Week TWO
Eric Wright is a very unique cellist. Raised on pure Vermont air and inspired by his love for American Old Time and Irish music, he sets out to incorporate cello into new and traditional music in ways that haven’t been done before. Taking his innovative bowing techniques, chording styles, and ‘the chop’, to new levels, Eric has become a highly sought-after performer, accompanist, producer, session musician, and arranger for all types of folk styles. |
Camp Director Super Woman. Organizer Extraordinaire. Community Builder. Lover of small joys, creator of large joys. 
Ryan D’Aoust is an award winning fiddler from the Norway House Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba. Ryan learned to play fiddle through the Frontier School division’s Fiddling program offered in his school when he was in grade 6. His exceptional passion, talent, and commitment to his community soon led to his becoming a much sought after fiddler at a very young age. Ryan
Emily Dubois is a musically ambitious fiddler originally from Langbank, Saskatchewan.
Where there is a Will there is a way… he does the stuff around camp: set up, sound, fixing, trouble shooting, recording, wiring, hauling… you name it, he’s the guy to look for before KLKP and during. There are always unsung heroes in any festival or volunteer situation, and this is one of our backbones. 
Winner of Calgary’s YYCMA 2005 Live Performer of the Year, multi instrumentalist Rob Skeet brings the party to KLKP each year. His boundless energy, his huge laugh and his genuine desire to help each student become the very best that they can be is a gift to all.
Rowan is a technically trained musician, who has traveled widely honing her skills in both music, language, cultural appreciation and folk dance. She is an educator with many years of classroom experience, and now teaches music full time out of her private studio in Balcarres.
