Ivonne Hernandez grew up under the heavy weight of expectations, a large portion of which were self-imposed. But rather than crumble under the pressure, she excelled. And then some.
Hernandez, 30, is now old enough to have outlived the expectations that came with being branded a child prodigy. The tag was affixed to her almost from the time she first picked up a violin at the age of three. She continued to excel with each passing year, eventually becoming one of the most gifted — and decorated — musicians Victoria has ever produced.
She attributes much of her early success to playing in Daniel Lapp’s B.C. Fiddle Orchestra, a breeding ground for some of the top-tier players coming out of Victoria during the 2000s. Her peer group in the orchestra included stalwarts Tyler and Kendel Carson, Tania Elizabeth, Adrian Dolan and Adam Dobres, each of whom continues to perform professionally.
“In some ways it seems like it was just yesterday, especially when I think about the things we were able to do and see and experience,” she said. “That was part of the building blocks to where I am now.”
Hernandez is back living in Victoria after eight years in Boston, and is attempting to pay it forward with a teen fiddle ensemble of her own. Coastline, a 15-member group whose members range in age from 13 to 18, is receiving first-hand instruction from Hernandez, who enjoys a solid career as a professional.
She graduated from Boston’s Berkelee College of Music in 2009 with a degree in violin performance and music business. It wasn’t long before her childhood dream of playing music — stoked along the way by winning the Grand North American Fiddle Championships and B.C. Provincial Fiddle Championships — came fully into being.
The Fretless, a roots group she co-founded with three of her Berkelee classmates, including Courtenay’s Trent Freeman, earned trophies in 2012 at the Canadian Folk Music Awards and Western Canadian Music Awards. The group will return to Victoria for a concert in February, as part of yet another world tour for Hernandez.
“It is shaping up to be a pretty busy year travelling the world and playing music, which is not a bad thing,” she said.
Did the pressure of being so good at such a young age ever get to you?
I was challenging myself every time, as opposed to trying to be the best for somebody else, and if that ended up in an award, or whatever the case, I was happy with that. I wouldn’t say the pressure got to me, but I am a perfectionist. If it wasn’t as awesome as I know I could do it, I was hard on myself.
I reported on your accomplishments during that time in your life, and I remember your parents were a big help in keeping you grounded.
My parents have been amazing, and so supportive of my sister [Kalissa, who currently plays in Vancouver group The Paperboys] and I. In trying to be as good as I could be, I was very hard on myself, but they kept me in check and told me to chill out. They kept me together and humble about everything.
What prompted your move back to Victoria?
Boston was a great place to be, because it is a pretty big hub. But I really missed Victoria, and was paying fairly expensive rent in Boston for just my things. I was never there.
Now that members of The Fretless live in separate cities, does that affect band operations?
We are always on the road. It snowballed very quickly, and a lot has happened so far, so with our new CD we expect more things to happen, from a CD release tour to festival shows.
Putting together Coastline couldn’t have helped make your schedule less busy.
It was pretty natural, actually. Around this time last year, I was trying to figure out what my next step was, and was in the process of moving here. When I started teaching, a lot of young fiddle players asked me to help put a group together and coach them, to give them more of a challenge.
It has the makings of another B.C. Fiddle Orchestra.
It’s more on the level of training kids for the professional musical world. Rehearsing, being able to lead yourselves, perform, arrange music, what to say on stage — stuff like that.
I imagine it feels good to give back, and help young players in the way that others helped you.
I had some opportunities with Daniel [Lapp] and other groups that helped me when I was young, and that really shaped me. It enabled me to do what I do now, so I was thrilled to be asked by these kids.
Ivonne Hernandez will perform Sunday at First Church of Christ Scientist (1205 Pandora Ave.) alongside her students in the ensemble Coastline. Doors are at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 at Long and McQuade and Ivy’s Bookshop.
