Duncan Cameron

Last night I played as an opening act at the Fromagerie for the Reenie Band. It went okay. I was very glad to be able to do the arrangements and material that I love, and I'm delighted to be able to do this music with Brittany Goldsborough. But the audience was somewhat difficult.

The place would have been empty, probably, if it weren't for a wedding party who were there unexpectedly. As to be expected, they talked through everything we did, and got louder as their numbers increased. I engaged with them at…

Thanks to all who listened to this.  I’ve had some interesting feedback, mostly positive.

Perhaps I should have started with a disclaimer and begged your indulgence.  Music is a very complicated endeavour for me because it is more than just about pleasing myself or pleasing others.  I would like to claim, especially in the case of a song like this, that it is partly a spiritual discipline.  By that I mean that a traditional song feels like something greater than myself or anyone who hears it.  The word…Read more

Self-exploration via the playing of the English concertina

Recently I decided to work on my next solo album.  This has been a project in development for many years, but recently, suddenly and frighteningly, my calendar became empty of other distracting work, so to dedicate myself in earnest to recording seemed like the obvious way I should use my time.  Progress seemed to flow rapidly for the first week or two, which is not surprising because much of the material for the album has been somewhat arranged…

Read more

Taken at a house concert in Cornwall, ON, Feb 21, 2014

Duncan Cameron was born in a family where ancient ballads and storytelling were a natural part of life.  His Scottish father Stewart Cameron was well respected in Toronto for his traditional singing, and before Duncan was born, his sister Moira was already performing as well.  According to his mother Dianne, Duncan could sing before he could talk.

At the age of six, Duncan decided to learn an instrument, but wanted to play something that neither his sister nor his father (who were both…

Read more

Here are two videos of my recent show at The Wee Folk Club in Toronto, hosted by Enoch Kent. Michael Belanger recorded and edited the video and sound.

Choux pis des melons


Red-Winged Blackbird

"Folking About In London with Duncan Cameron at the Cuckoo's Nest" in The Beat Magazine Online by Bob Cunningham

Various explanations have been proffered.  Is it that I am talented?  If so, why do talented people usually play only one instrument?  What is talent anyway?  We think it's innate or genetically endowed; the luck of the draw before we were even born.  But the current research in psychology and the brain tells us that what we call talent is really just achievement, and that all achievement is just the result of hours of focused practice invested.  Furthermore, early achievement can't predict future…Read more

I posted another fiddle lesson on YouTube.  The Otter's Holt is one of the first reels I learned.  A fiddler from Sudbury named Michael Farrell made me a tape of tunes played slowly and I learned them all.  Sheet music is available on the Lesson Resources page.