Portraits: Fiddlin' Friendzy

A little bit of pickin' brings a lot of grinnin' to fans of the old-time fiddle group known in the area as the "Fiddlin' Friendzy." For Ethan Sorenson, 18, Duran Vigesaa, 15, Jadan Sorenson, 16, and Sadie Sorenson, 14, nothing beats playing live for an audience and seeing their faces light up after hearing a tune stored away in their memory. "It's nice to see some of the audience nod their heads or tap along when we are playing," said Sadie. The group often plays at Sheyenne Crossings in West Fargo when they are not busy performing at other stops in the area. Their main goal is to keep the tradition of old-time fiddling alive. They wowed the audience during their first appearance at the annual Bison Brevities variety show at North Dakota State University, winning "Best of Show" while topping the college competition. Most recently, Jadan and Sadie took first place in the twin fiddle competition during this year's Minnesota State Fair. Not all performances are on the big stage. "We've played at two 100-year-old birthday parties," added Ethan. So as long as they have an audience, whether it be at church, the local farmers market or a birthday bash, they will keep rosining up their bows.