About George 

Meet Kate Allenger. Some recognise her as partner and wife to popular Hi Tide vocalist Shane Allenger, some know her as a dive instructor or advertising agent, yet most of us in the local music scene know her as the master behind the fiddle.

When she landed on our sunny shores 22 years ago as a dive instructor her violin was stored away in a cold closet in foggy London. Then some time later on a visit home she decided to dust off the violin and bring it back to Cayman.

“For the first week of playing it was a nightmare,” says Kate, “and then, all of a sudden, it all seemed to come flooding back to me”.

She was able to read music again, and in not too much time, playing to the standard she had reached when she gave it all up. I know Kate is going to whack me aside the head with her bow for calling it a fiddle rather than a violin, but I’m just an old red-neck who never realised there was a difference, which is until I heard Kate playing with the Cayman National Orchestra some time back.

I was knocked off my bare feet. What a divergence from a three cord square dance to the art of producing significant arrangements of sounds as laid out in front of you on sheet music, all for the purpose of causing emotional responses in people, which she did in me… goose bumps. The violinist must be able to transmit his or her feelings to the listener while feeling perfectly at ease with the instrument, be it in the accuracy of each note or in the use of the numerous sound capacities of the violin!

And Kate does just that when performing some complicated musical score or contributing to the ambiance of a swanky social gathering. On the other hand, she has no problem standing on the stage with Bob Mosely donned in cowboy hat fiddling away to a George Straight two steps.

Kate’s popularity has blossomed since she brought her instrument back from England. She now performs at weddings, receptions, dances and parties, including studio work for Hi Tide and C and B Studios.

“I can’t believe that I actually get paid for something I love so much. I’m so, so happy that I have found the violin and found my music again as it is such a huge part of my life these days,” she says. WH

Kate can be contacted at 925-4104.