Mark Fewer's CD Changing Seasons with the Phil Dwyer Orchestra won the Juno for contemporary jazz album of the year this past weekend. Fewer finds all music intoxicating. He's a dedicated jazz violinist, and he's also a dedicated classical musician, chamber player, artistic director and teacher. Fewer plays five centuries worth of music from the baroque to the present day, and from flashy to sublime.
Mark Fewer grew up in St. John's where, at the age of ten, he played for Pope John Paul II, and Prince Charles and Princess Diana on their respective visits to Newfoundland. He's shared the stage with classical pianist Leon Fleisher and jazz bassist Dave Young, among other renowned musicians. In 2011 Fewer replaced both violinists of the St. Lawrence String Quartet for thirty concerts worldwide. For several years he lived on both coasts of Canada at the same time, when he was artistic director of Scotia Festival in Halifax while also being concertmaster of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Mark Fewer runs his own Sweetwater Music Festival each September in Owen Sound, Ontario. He's also been on the faculty of the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal since 2007.
Mark Fewer tells road stories as host of This Is My Music on Saturday, April 7, on CBC Radio 2, from 10:05 a.m. to noon ET, 11:05 to 1:00 p.m. AT.