April Verch (born April 7, 1978) is a Canadian fiddler, singer, and step dancer raised in the community of Rankin, Ontario, located approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest from Pembroke, Ontario. The youngest daughter of Ralph and Muriel Verch, April began step dancing at age three with her first step dance teachers, Buster and Pauline Brown,[1] and began learning fiddle at age six from Pembroke fiddler Rob Dagenais, shortly after receiving her first violin as a birthday present.[2][3][4] Throughout her childhood, April played both old time fiddle and classical violin, having competed and having won awards at fiddle contests inside and outside Ontario, as well as regularly performing with the Deep River Symphony Orchestra over that period. She also competed and won numerous awards for her step dancing in that time frame as well.[5]
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In addition, April, with her older sister Tawnya Verch (piano, vocals and step dance), and cousins Nathan and Jonathan Pilatzke (fiddles, step dance) were in a quartet named "The Duelling Dancers", regularly competing and entertaining over this period throughout Ontario.[6] Her local musical environment included listening to her father’s country band rehearsing and performing, as well as hearing lively music at both church and community dances in the Pembroke area.[7]
Verch attended Berklee College of Music in Boston with music instruction under fiddlers Matt Glaser and Darol Anger before embarking on her professional career.[8] After one year of study, Verch would move back to Canada, landing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and played as a backup fiddler for Vancouver based Celtic pop band "Mad Pudding" [9] and veteran Canadian country singer Tommy Hunter,[10] as well as performing solo and teaching privately in Saskatoon, before moving home to Pembroke, Ontario. Verch began her full time touring career in 2000 and has performed internationally, including festival, theatre and performing arts centre appearances in Canada, USA, China, Australia, United Kingdom, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Spain, Czech Republic and the United Arab Emirates. She has also presented workshops, master classes and lectures as part of her tours and at selected music camps.[11] April Verch's other performances have included the roles of soloist, leader of "The April Verch Band," cast performer with the fiddle group "Bowfire", and backup fiddler with various musical acts for recording sessions.[12]
After a solo concert in 2000 was attended by Rounder Records' Ken Irwin, Verch was signed to Rounder Records. In 2001, "Verchuosity" became her debut album for the label and received a JUNO nomination for Best Roots/Traditional Solo Album.[13] While she is best known for playing traditional Ottawa Valley style fiddle tunes, Verch's repertoire branches into many other fiddle styles. She has appeared as performer and teacher at Mark O'Connor's Fiddle Camps,[14] and performing as a fiddler, singer, and dancer on the PBS television series, "Song of the Mountains".[15] Since 2016, Verch has also been performing in a duo with veteran American bluegrass artist Joe Newberry.[16] Verch received a second Juno nomination in 2020 for the album "Once a Day" in the Traditional Roots Album category.[17]
