The Fretless featuring Madeleine Roger at Port Stanley Festival Theatre
WHERE
Port Stanley Festival Theatre, Bridge Street, Port Stanley, ON, Canada
WHEN
Sat Nov 8, 2025 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM (EST)
PRICE
Acoustic Folk meets Trad Fiddling meets String Quartet brilliance — with a touch of singer-songwriter soul at Port Stanley Festival Theatre.
A Canadian band known for its unique blend of folk, classical, and Celtic traditions.
The Fretless has expanded the idea of what a string quartet can be, transforming fiddle tunes and folk melodies into intricate, high energy arrangements. Their ensemble of two fiddles, a viola, and a cello produces a rich, multi-layered, and distinctive percussive sound that redefines contemporary folk music.
A supergroup of celebrated solo artists, The Fretless has been creating a singular and signature sound that dares to expand the idea of what a string music quartet can be—transforming fiddle tunes and folk melodies into intricate, beautiful, high-energy arrangements that have quickly gained a dedicated following and accolades from around the world.
Within what appears to be a simple construct — two fiddles, a viola, and a cello — The Fretless has created a sound that is distinctly rich, multi-layered, and uniquely percussive. This tonal quality is pushing traditional music to new heights, producing a completely fresh approach to Folk music.
THE FRETLESS is the Canadian ensemble playing an essential part in the emerging movement mainstreaming traditional music, and connecting traditional styles with diverse audiences around the world.
Through its deconstruction and transformation of the usual rhythmic, harmonic and structured arrangements of fiddle styles around the world, The Fretless is pushing traditional music to a new place, and has now issued itself an atypical challenge in the mission to find and convert fans
unfamiliar with “progressive” traditional music.
The Fretless is Trent Freeman (Fiddle/Viola), Karrnnel Sawitsky (Fiddle/Viola), Ben Plotnick(Fiddle/Viola), and Eric Wright (Cello).
*2017 Juno Award - Instrumental Album of the Year
2022 Juno Nomination - Contemporary Roots Album
2019 Juno Nomination - Instrumental Album of the Year
2018 CFMA Winner - Instrumental Album of the Year
2014 CFMA Winner - Ensemble of the Year
2012 CFMA Winner - Ensemble of the Year
2012 CFMA Winner - Instrumental Group of the Year
2014 WCMA Winner - Instrumental Album of the Year
2012 WCMA Winner - Instrumental Album of the Year
A supergroup of celebrated solo artists, The Fretless has been creating a singular and signature sound that dares to expand the idea of what a string music quartet can be—transforming fiddle tunes and folk melodies into intricate, beautiful, high-energy arrangements that have quickly gained a dedicated following and accolades from around the world.
Within what appears to be a simple construct — two fiddles, a viola, and a cello — The Fretless has created a sound that is distinctly rich, multi-layered, and uniquely percussive. This tonal quality is pushing traditional music to new heights, producing a completely fresh approach to Folk music.
THE FRETLESS is the Canadian ensemble playing an essential part in the emerging movement mainstreaming traditional music, and connecting traditional styles with diverse audiences around the world.
Through its deconstruction and transformation of the usual rhythmic, harmonic and structured arrangements of fiddle styles around the world, The Fretless is pushing traditional music to a new place, and has now issued itself an atypical challenge in the mission to find and convert fans
unfamiliar with “progressive” traditional music.
The Fretless is Trent Freeman (Fiddle/Viola), Karrnnel Sawitsky (Fiddle/Viola), Ben Plotnick(Fiddle/Viola), and Eric Wright (Cello).
*2017 Juno Award - Instrumental Album of the Year
2022 Juno Nomination - Contemporary Roots Album
2019 Juno Nomination - Instrumental Album of the Year
2018 CFMA Winner - Instrumental Album of the Year
2014 CFMA Winner - Ensemble of the Year
2012 CFMA Winner - Ensemble of the Year
2012 CFMA Winner - Instrumental Group of the Year
2014 WCMA Winner - Instrumental Album of the Year
2012 WCMA Winner - Instrumental Album of the Year
