About

          Julie is a 2-Time Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion and Open Step Dance Champion, originally from the small town of Bancroft, Ontario, Canada.  She is known for her intricate, boundary-pushing, fast paced performance of Ottawa-Valley step dancing, and her versatility with various fiddle styles. She tours with her siblings Tom and Kerry in the group called The Fitzgeralds, who were just nominated for the 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards for ‘Instrumental Group of the Year’. Her performances have brought her across the UK, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Bahamas, Caribbean and North America and include guest performances with Cherish the Ladies, The Step Crew, Sharon Shannon, Lunasa, Nathan Carter, Leahy, Natalie MacMaster, and We Banjo 3.

            Julie received a Degree in Music from Humber College for violin (Toronto).  While at Humber College, she received several awards including the Ron Collier Scholarship for Arranging, and the New Venture Seed Fund for her entrepreneurial pursuits in the music and dance business.  She created an Instructional Step Dance DVD and also launched the first ever instructional Ottawa-Valley step dance collection of ‘Online Videos’ available via her website.  Julie is an in-demand instructor and has 12 years of teaching experience for private and group classes.  She has also taught step dance, fiddle and piano accompaniment at camps across Canada (Algoma Trad, Smithers Music Camp, Goderich Celtic College, Leahy Music Camp, and Yukon Rendezvous Music Camp).  Julie is passionate about her music and dancing which is evident through her performances and workshops!