Fiddler Peter Ostroushko plays music from around the world (03/31/96)

Fiddler Peter Ostroushko plays music from around the world

by Maria Koropecky

TORONTO - In Ukrainian, Ostroushko literally means "sharp ear," and when you hear fiddler Peter Ostroushko play, you will see that he truly lives up to his name.

Mr. Ostroushko played on February 25 at the Water's Edge Cafe, in Toronto's Harbourfront Center with guitarist Dean Magraw. As he said in introducing the first set, the duet plays "original music and music from around the world:"

This was Mr. Ostroushko's first visit to Toronto. He was promoting his most recent album, "Heart of the Heartland." There is definitely a relationship between the Minnesota-born violinist's music and the land. It is music that lets your mind wander and inspires you to think of vast prairies illuminated by the light of endless skies.

Mr. Ostroushko told this writer that he intended to go out for Thai food after the show, and added, "Too bad they can't make Ukrainian food with Thai sensibilities."

Merging two or more cultures is the way he approaches his music. His "International Medley," for example, started off with contemporary television show tunes and then traveled through Ukrainian, Texan and French Canadian fiddle melodies.

Raised in the family of an immigrant shoemaker who played the mandolin for fun, Mr. Ostroushko was constantly surrounded by music. Completely self-taught, he considers himself a fiddler brought up in the folk tradition.

The fact that he has had no formal training makes Mr. Ostroushko's musicianship all the more notable. He is able to improvise fluid melodies with intricate note combinations, and although his partner, Mr. Magraw, often veered off on his own creative tangents, Mr. Ostroushko never missed a beat. Their timing was extraordinary.

The duet's repertoire is vast. They played some blues and some jazz tunes, such as Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz." During the concert, they also played a song with a Gypsy Kings flavor at a tempo so fast the glass doors of the cafe blew open.

During this concert, as in most, Mr. Ostroushko opens each set playing the violin, but switches to mandolin for most selections. Although the pair's set was mostly instrumental, the prairie fiddler threw in some vocals too.

In the second set, Mr. Ostroushko put an interesting twist on a familiar melody. He sang about a man who comes home after an absence of three years to find his wife has had a baby. Having asked her "where did the boy come from?" he gets the reply "Benny's from heaven."

Another song, written while he was staying at a Holiday Inn on Valentine's Day, has a refrain that goes "Walking into the Twilight of Our Years." Mr. Ostroushko said it will appear on his new recording, but details about this release still need to be worked out.

Early in the performance, Mr. Ostroushko asked if there were any Ukrainians in the audience. Only a few people raised their hands, but during the break someone requested a Ukrainian song.

He chose the lullaby "Drimota," and explained that the title refers to the transient state between sleep and wakefulness. The "Drimota" and a "Dream" walk together, find a girl in her cradle, then send her to sleep.

Mr. Ostroushko has several CDs to his credit and travels extensively for performances and inspiration. His most recent titles, all on the Red House Records label, include "Duo" (with Mr. Magraw), "Blue Mesa," "Buddies of Swing" and "Amando Boys."

For more information about Mr. Ostroushko's touring schedule as well as Red House catalogue information, call 1-800-695-4687.

Maria Koropetsky is a free-lance writer living in Toronto.

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