FYC “In the High Land” for Best Instrumental Composition by E J Ouellette

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATIOn

BEST Instrumental Composition

E J Ouellette — “In the High Land”

“In the High Land” was born during my 2024 journey through Scotland, where I was tracing my family lineage and exploring the landscapes connected to my ancestors. The beauty, history, and spirit of the Highlands stayed with me—and eventually found their way into this uplifting piece.

The performance is rooted in Celtic and New England fiddle traditions, with the ornamentation, phrasing, rhythmic lift and expressive freedom of traditional fiddle at its core. From there, the arrangement moves beyond traditional boundaries, bringing fiddle together with a contemporary ensemble and allowing the music to travel freely between folk tradition and a more alternative instrumental sound.

Why Alternative Music Performance

“In the High Land” draws from the musical language of Celtic and New England fiddle traditions, but it is not presented as a strictly traditional performance. The arrangement places that fiddle vocabulary within a contemporary, genre-fluid setting, allowing traditional roots and modern instrumentation to coexist.

That intersection—honoring the source while moving beyond its conventional boundaries—is why I chose Best Alternative Music Performance for this recording.

For me, “In the High Land” is about connection—ancestry, landscape, tradition, and the freedom to carry those influences forward in my own musical voice and that of my amazing collaborators.

E J Ouellette — fiddle & multi-instrumentalist
Featuring Dave Mattacks — drums & percussion Don Gaudreau- piano
Arranged, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by E J Ouellette at Whole Music Studios
Co-Produced by Lisa O’Donnell