Jacie started fiddling at age 15. She won the Oregon State Grand Championship on her 21st birthday. This is her third time judging the national oldtime fiddlers contest. Jacie is the current Idaho State and Idaho Open Grand champion for 2009. Jacie is a former Northwest regional grand champion. She has won the fanciest fiddler in the certified division three times. She plays around the northwest with her band Celtic Air and teaches about 40 violin students from across the Northwest. Many of her students have won or placed in the top five at the National Old time fiddlers contest in the Small Fry, Junior - Junior, Junior and Young Adult divisions in the past five years. Jacie as just launched a fully online instructional fiddle website at www.fiddleit.com . Jacie and her husband Joe also host the fiddling on the falls fiddle championships held the Friday and Saturday before the National contest each year.
 
Judging Philosophy:

I am an absolute stickler for intonation. If it's not in tune it's not right. Intonation, rhythm and tone are all things that work themselves out with proper focus and practice. A player just needs to listen to good fiddle music and carefully practice to make sure they are honing these skills. A simple tune played confidently and well will score miles above someone who trys to play Dusty Miller fast, sloppy and out of tune. Your choice of accompanist is an important one, make sure they know your tune and that you are intune with your accompanist before you go on stage. A tip for new fiddle moms and dads (from a judge that has judged many a small fry division) if your teacher is not at the contest, please find a fiddle teacher to tune your child's fiddle just before they go on stage to play as this will greatly improve their score. One of my favorite fiddler quotes is, "It doesn't matter how you play it, just play it good" - Benny Thomasson