Four new inductees added to the Wall of Fame

The Manitoba Fiddle Association welcomed four new members into its Wall of Fame at the 2026 Inductees' Ceremony at Carman Community Hall on April 26. The class includes three fiddlers and a builder, drawn from communities across the province and representing a combined century-plus of contribution to old-time and Métis fiddle traditions.

Fiddlers

Boris Nowosad of Dauphin began playing at age 10 and has performed in more than 800 dance halls across Western Canada. He has recorded eight albums, earned over 80 contest awards, and been recognized by the Ukrainian Musicians Association with the Legend of Ukrainian Music Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award, among others.

Mike Kostynyk of Sundown started his fiddling career in 1930 at age 11 in the Arbakka farming area. He led "Mike & the Boys" — later "The Melody Makers" — through decades of dances across southeast Manitoba and beyond. At 77 he began handcrafting fiddles, eventually completing 30 instruments, each one assembled from over 70 pieces and 600+ hours of work.

William "Bill" Delorme of Pilot Mound, inducted posthumously, played fiddle from age 9 until his passing at 93. A friend of Don Messer, his original tunes — including The Pilot Mound Waltz, The Crystal City Reel, and 3 Men on a White Horse — remain favourites in the prairie and Métis fiddle repertoire.

Builder

Daria Watkin of Winnipeg founded the Watkin School of Music and Dance in 1993 and directs Western Canada's Clear Lake Fiddle Camp, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026. Her teaching has reached students of all ages — through her studio, the camp, and the Frontier School Division — and her students have gone on to study music at universities across the country.

Full bios for each inductee are on the 2026 Wall of Fame page. Congratulations to all four — and thank you to everyone who came out to Carman to celebrate them.