Chronology
September 1987 – The Toronto Symphony Orchestra Odyssey tour of The Canadian North launches Strings Across the Sky, a registered charity
March 1988 – Strings Across the Sky initiated in Inuvik, Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T.
August 1989 – First summer school program held in Inuvik at Arctic College for children from Inuvik, Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk
December 1989 – Students perform their first Christmas concert with their fiddles in the Igloo church in Inuvik
August 1990 – Second summer school held in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk
December 1990 – Students perform Christmas music in their own schools for the first time
August 1991 – Third summer schools held in Tuktoyoktuk, Aklavik, and Inuvik
August 1992 – Fourth summer schools held in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk with a total of 48 violins donated to the program
March 1993 – Tsiigehtchic becomes the fifth community to support the program and adult teacher training program begins
August 1993 – Fifth summer school program held in five communities – 102 students participate with 55 violins in the “lending library”
February 1994 – Program begins in Fort Good Hope
April 1994 – 35 SATS students from five communities play with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and CBC television airs the performance on the national news
August 1994 – Norman Wells becomes the seventh community to join SATS
March 1995 – Tulit ‘a (formerly Fort Norman) is the eighth community to join SATS
June 1995 – SATS expands into the Eastern Arctic at Iquluit
October 1996 – Full classes include 80 violins and over 250 students with Delene (formerly Fort Franklin) students joining SATS
June 1997 – Northern encounters Festival of the Arts includes students from Strings Across the Sky performing with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Fall 1998 – Program begins in Holman
Summer 1998 – Brought 5 people from the North for instructor training
June 1999 — 34 SATS students travel to the Orkneys (Scottish Isles) to perform
April 1999 – Andrea Hansen receives the Order of Canada in her role as Music Ambassador to the North
Fall 1999 – Program begins in Yellowknife
Spring 2001 – Program begins in Wrigley, Fort Smith, Deh Cho, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Fort Providence
August 2002 – Andrea Hansen performs and lectures for Adventure Canada, an expedition-style cruising and small-group active outfitter specializing in remote adventures. Touched by Hansen’s magical story, travelers form The Friends of Strings Across the Sky (FSATS) to make the cross Canada dream a reality
August 2002 – With over 300 students “touched” by her teaching and 150 donated violins in the North, Andrea Hansen receives The Golden Jubilee Medal
March 2003 – SATS Instructors participate in The Cole Crook Fiddle Camp in Fort Smith, NWT
August 2003 – SATS hosts a Fiddle School in Yellowknife for 40 students and teachers
October 2003 – FSATS launches the Ontario leg of The Cross Canada Fiddle – Moose Factory, White Dog, Kenora, Sioux Lookout, Pelican Falls, Thunder Bay
November 2003 – Students from the Cross-Canada Fiddle perform with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra
March 2004 – Students from the Cross-Canada Fiddle perform with the Regina Symphony Orchestra
May 2004 – Students from the Cross-Canada Fiddle perform with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. Later in the month, SATS launches remote training (Hansen in Toronto – Students in Sioux Lookout) with the National Research Council
July 2004 – Ontario students perform in at the Festival of Sound in Parry Sound
August 2004 – SATS hosts fiddle schools in Yellowknife and Inuvik
November 2004 – OAC sponsors the development of level two SATS training including a tour to Northern Ontario. Pelican Falls First Nations High School partners with SATS to offer a credit violin course. Greater Cleveland Rotary Association launches a violin acquisitions program for SATS with the first 15 violins going to Pelican Falls. SATS begins remote training to Sioux Lookout with partners: The Glenn Gould School; the National Research Council and the Communications Research Council.
July/August 2005 – Annual Fiddle Schools in Yellowknife and Inuvik.
September 2005 – Andrea Hansen is honoured with The Order of Ontario.
May 2006 – Andrea Hansen is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Toronto Musicians Association
November 2007 – Andrea Hansen is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the Aboriginal Awards.
2008
May – SHAWANAGA KINOMAUGEWGAMIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
October – WAUSAUKSING FN SCHOOL
July –PARRY SOUND FIDDLE & MUSIC CAMP
July – FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND CONCERT
2009
April- SHAWANAGA KINOMAUGEWGAMIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
August- PARRY SOUND FIDDLE & MUSIC CAMP
August-FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND CONCERT, STOCKEY CENTRE
2010
April- SHAWANAGA KINOMAUGEWGAMIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
July-PARRY SOUND FIDDLE & MUSIC CAMP
July- FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND CONCERT, STOCKEY CENTRE
September- CONCERT, STOCKEY CENTRE-Toronto Finnish Men’s Choir
2011
April- SHAWANAGA KINOMAUGEWGAMIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
May- ROYAL CONSERVATORY, CONKLIN SCHOOL ALBERTA
October –ROYAL CONSERVATORY, CONKLIN SCHOOL ALBERTA
October- FIDDLE WORKSHOPS, FORT MACMURRAY, ALBERTA
2012
April- SHAWANAGA KINOMAUGEWGAMIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
May- STILECROFT SCHOOL, ROYAL CONSERVATORY
July-PARRY SOUND FIDDLE & MUSIC CAMP
July- FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND CONCERT, STOCKEY CENTRE
August- ALGOMA U, Anishnaabe BINESI camps
November- ROYAL CONSERVATORY, CONKLIN SCHOOL ALBERTA
2013
January-1st TERM_NORTH BAY INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTRE TEACHING BEGINS
April- SHAWANAGA KINOMAUGEWGAMIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
May-STILECROFT SCHOOL, ROYAL CONSERVATORY
June- CONCERT, KOERNER HALL, TORONTO
July- PARRY SOUND FIDDLE & MUSIC CAMP
July-CONCERT-GALA-FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND, STOCKEY CENTRE
July- CONCERT, FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND
July- ALGOMA U, Anishnaabe BINESI camps
August- CONCERT, LEE PARK, NORTH BAY
October-2ND TERM_NORTH BAY INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTRE TEACHING
November- SHAWANAGA KINOMAUGEWGAMIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2014
January-2ND TERM_NORTH BAY INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTRE
May-CONCERT, NORTH BAY GOLDEN AGE CLUB
June-CONCERT, NB INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTRE, ABORIGINAL DAY
July- PARRY SOUND FIDDLE & MUSIC CAMP
July- CONCERT, FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND, STOCKEY CENTRE
July-ALGOMA UNIVERSITY, ANISHNAABE BINESI CAMPS
September-3RD YEAR SATS Teaching Program_NORTH BAY INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTRE
2015
July- PARRY SOUND FIDDLE & MUSIC CAMP
July- CONCERT, FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND, STOCKEY CENTRE
September-3RD YEAR SATS Teaching Program_NORTH BAY INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTRE
February | North Bay, Concert_VOYAGE OF THE VIOLIN Capitol Theatre, North Bay @ 7:30pm
Strings Across the Sky Students & North Bay Symphony
The story of fiddling music, which crossed the world from its Celtic roots to become a rich part of today’s Inuit, Metis and First Nation’s communities.
2016
July- PARRY SOUND FIDDLE & MUSIC CAMP
July- CONCERT, FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND, STOCKEY CENTRE
September-4TH YEAR SATS Teaching Program_NORTH BAY INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTRE