The Essence of Emily Yarascavitch
Musician ~ Dancer ~ Teacher
Daughter ~ Sister ~ Auntie and Friend
Emily is a Terror—a Tartan Terror! She is a highly talented fiddler and dancer. I met her during my travels with the band and attending their shows. Emily’s repertoire is extraordinary – she can fiddle with the best. She is classically trained with the Royal Conservatory of Music. Emily has twice won the Canadian Open Duet Champion and was a multi-Canadian Grand Masters finalist and a Junior Canadian Champion. She is considered a Kashubian treasure as she has become accomplished in her homeland’s music. She is also constantly expanding her repertoire and exploring different sounds. You can learn more about her on the website at the bottom of this article.
I saw the Tartan Terrors professionalism at its height while playing a gig in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. It was the start of the Covid shutdown. That day, there was a run at supermarkets for toilet paper and other essentials. The NBA and NHL suspended their seasons. March Madness was cancelled altogether. Broadway had just shut down. One by one, in the afternoon before their show – every one of the band members started getting cancellations for entire months and seasons. They had done the sound check. Everyone was scared and had no idea what was going on. They didn’t know if the border crossing back to Canada would be open for our return. The show managed to go on, but at the end of the show – it was announced that the Mauch Chunk Opera House would also be cancelling the rest of the season. The show was spectacular; none of the musicians even hinted at their worries on stage. That was the night before the lights went out on entertainers for two years.
While COVID was a huge factor, it didn’t completely stop Emily from going online and teaching dance, fiddle and music theory remotely via Zoom. Other band members hosted Facebook live shows. Going from theatres with five to eight hundred people to playing in front of their phones in garages. A couple of musicians I knew personally helped us by doing projects at our house. To a Man and Woman, they did what they had to do to survive and play another day. At times, the band practiced online together. As it turned out, two years later, the Tartan Terrors played their first return gig at Jim Thorpe. It was magical. The common theme is their unconditional love of their craft.
What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge is myself! I have a competitive drive for challenges, constant growth and development, and perfection in everything I do. This is great; however, I don't always have a "chill out" button. I am continually working on finding the balance between accomplishing all my goals and taking proper rest. Not being too hard on myself and patient with the process will be a lifelong challenge!
At some time, you reached a fork in the road. At that time, it did not feel like it, but looking back, you realize that was a big moment. One that changed your life. Describe yours.
I graduated from the University of Waterloo in 2016 with an Honours Bachelor of Science, Biology Minor/Music Minor. I followed this with a year of postgraduate studies in Respiratory Therapy and registered to begin a degree in Medical Laboratory Science in the fall. I wasn't sure what to do in my career, and I was taking the summer off to teach fiddle and play gigs. Music and dance have ALWAYS been the most significant part of my life; I started competing and performing on stage at age 6! I've performed, competed, and taught for as long as I can remember, but I had never considered it a career (even though I had never had any other job). An opportunity came up that summer to do a few shows with the Tartan Terrors. It was fun and a nice break from five years of science studies! When the first week of my new program rolled around, I decided to defer a year and teach music/dance and tour! It didn't seem like a big deal then, but here we are, seven years later, teaching/touring is my full-time career! Music and dance would have always been part of my life, but who knows what I would be doing had I continued my studies instead? I believe the timing of that decision was pivotal to where I am today!
What is one gem you learned on your journey that you would love to share? Alternatively, what would you tell a younger you?
I would tell my younger self not to worry so much about what other people think and say, to not be so hard on myself, and to find something each day to be grateful for...time goes by faster than you think. P.S. Your peers will all think that you have the coolest job!
Emily’s website - https://www.emilyyarascavitch.com/home
