Terri Surette got a chance to strut her stuff backing up one of the Maritimes' most famous crooners

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For three Maritime concerts, Terri Surette was part of Anne Murray's eleven-piece back-up orchestra. Pretty exciting stuff for a young music student. The tour played in Moncton, Charlottetown, and wound up in Halifax on April 18.

"A cello teacher at Dalhousie organized the musicians for this tour, and he asked me and three other Dal students if we wanted to take part," recalls Terri enthusiastically. "I absolutely jumped at it, and my profs were really supportive and let me re-schedule some of my exams."

Terri is a 19 year-old music major, who has played the violin for about 12 years. This tour was the first old-time fiddling she has done in a while, as university requirements are largely classical. She loves to play no matter what the style, and the opportunity to work with the likes of Anne Murray was too good to pass up.

"Anne Murray is fun to work with," says Terri. "She's an amazing person, she took the time to talk to us. Being famous hasn't gone to her head, and she has a really great sense of humour. She's very personable." What's next for Terri? She finished exams after the tour, and has a packed summer ahead of her. She'll be playing in Halifax's Scotia Fest and the Saint John Music Festival to name just two commitments.

"I also have a sister in Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario," she says, "and I'll be going there for a while to do some baby-sitting for her." As to long-term career goals, Terri shows mature awareness of the human condition when she admits, "I will likely reassess career goals at least fifty times," she says. "I always try not to limit myself. My major is music, violin performance, and I want to be a professional musician."

Terri loves to perform, and is considering a career as a performer. She thinks for now that her music of choice will end up being classical. Teaching at the university level also appeals to her, however, and going that route would put her on the track of several years of post-graduate studies. Whatever her future holds, music will be her driving force.

Meanwhile, as a young student, she continues to take advantage of musical opportunities as they arise, broadening her musical and life experiences. The recent tour with Anne Murray was one such opportunity, and one that Terri will not soon forget.

To help preserve these recent memories, the orchestra members were assured that time would be made for taking photographs of themselves with the famous songstress. Quite something for the family album. When asked if the Anne Murray Maritime tour was the high point so far in Terri's musical career, her eager reply was,

"Absolutely. My mom's always been a huge fan of Anne Murray, and so have I. I've been hearing her voice my entire life."