FALL RIVER: If some of the staff at Joyful Sounds Music Studio look a little extra cheery eyed as the week ends, there’s good reason.
The studio, located in Fall River, had a whirlwind 48 hours where they were asked to perform and video their performance of “Strang and McNeil: The 2nd Wave’s Reel.” It’s a fiddle tune penned by North Sydney’s Brenda Stubbert and sent to Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Medical officer of health for N.S.
Louise MacDonald, owner of Joyful Sounds, said it all started when Dr. Strang, who calls Fall River home, received an awesome t-shirt from Stubbert with a fiddle reel printed on it.
She was at a loss for words when asked what it meant to be asked to perform the tune.
“It’s a complete honour,” she said. “It was exciting. It was definitely a whirlwind to get the message from Dr. Strang, and to see the picture of the t-shirt with the fiddle reel on it.
“He asked if we would do it and we didn’t hesitate and said ‘yes, let’s do it.’”
Stubbert gave the permission for the fiddle reel to be performed and recorded, so MacDonald went to work to gather the musicians and cameras to get it done.
The “Strang and McNeil: The 2nd Wave’s Reel” was performed by: Brad Reid on the Fiddle; MacDonald on Piano; Alexander B. Macneil on Guitar; and Michael Arbou on the Cajon/box drum.
She said Dr. Strang has been so supportive in keeping the province safe and a community member of Fall River, so they were grateful he thought of them.
“For him to think of us to do the tune, it’s a real honour,” said MacDonald.
MacDonald said the studio is pleased to be creating music even as the COVID19 pandemic occurs.
“We will continue to make music, even through a pandemic,” said MacDonald. “We feel so incredibly fortunate to live in a province where our leadership is doing all they can to keep us safe and where our fellow Nova Scotians all do their part during this second wave.
“We’re also very grateful to live in a province that is filled with music and where music connects us all in times of uncertainty.”
