With a passion for fiddling, young Texan Tristan Paskvan, who placed first in the youth division of the 2024 Grand Master Fiddler Championship, also has a dream to incorporate flying into his musical pursuits. At the age of 13, Paskvan has his sights set on becoming a pilot, but for now he loves to fiddle his way across the United States.
Starting violin at the age of three, fiddling has been a longstanding interest for Tristan, providing both a creative outlet and a source of recreation. The intricate melodies and rhythms of fiddle tunes fascinate the young musician, and the challenge of mastering new ones has kept him engaged and inspired for years.
However, as this teen has progressed in his academics and musicianship, he has likewise found an interest in becoming a aviator. The freedom of soaring through the skies, the adrenaline rush of takeoff and landing, and the breathtaking views from the cockpit have all contributed to his desire to fly a plane.
Tristan well understands that becoming a professional musicians is no cake walk. He practices daily, and has achieved a sense of achievement that bolsters his confidence, an empowerment that is obvious when you see this teen take the center stage. Paskvan thoroughly enjoys performing and competing, and is fully engaged in his music. When he is really getting into it, he will even sometimes “throw” his hip and smile into his playing.
One of the privileges of winning the Youth Grand Master Fiddler title is being invited to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. But our young Master Paskvan had actually been on that stage before, alongside Trustin Baker in 2023. After Paskvan stepped off the stage that first he told his Mom, Katie, “I have to do this again!” And he did, standing with his fiddle hero, Ridge Roberts, who won the Grand Master competition in 2019 and 2024.
Winning this prestigious competition is always a high honor, but doing it so young marks Paskvan as a fiddler to watch.
This year after landing in Nashville, Tristan stopped in the center of the airport and stood on the music logo and pointed out to his parents, “Look, the strings are the runway.” Maybe this is a signal that flying is indeed in Paskvan’s future. Earlier this summer, he attended a Junior Flying Academy at Oklahoma University and got to fly a plane for the first time.
As a side note, Tristan’s mom Katie and Oklahoma fiddle legend Byron Berline both attended Oklahoma University as javelin throwers, and Katie’s head track coach, JD Martin, used to jam with Byron. It is striking how often connections to Berline pop up when meeting young bluegrass performers in this part of the country.
For Tristan, having an older brother Thomas, who is also quite a fiddler, creates a natural sibling rivalry, which provides a built-in competitive spark for them both. And he has good luck charms that he takes with him to competitions.
“While I was at Weiser, I saw this buckle on Ben LiaBraaten, I asked about it, and he told me he purchased it on Ebay. We found one for sale on Ebay, with a fiddler, and two people dancing. That’s my lucky buckle.”
“Also, I used to keep an autographed two dollar bill in my hat band. It fell out at Weiser before I went on stage, and my Dad ran back in the dark and found it on the football field.”
Because of that, Paskvan no longer keeps his lucky charm tucked in his hatband, but still cherishes it and the signatures he has on it. Wes Westmoreland started the lucky $2 bill with his presentation and signature, and others whose names are inscribed on this lucky note are Dale Morris, Robert Rast Smith, Marty Elmore, Ridge Roberts, and childhood fiddling accomplice, McKenna Peterson, just to name a few.
The fusion of fiddling and flying has already enriched this 13 year old’s life. The combination of these two diverse hobbies will allow Tristan to explore new creative outlets, share his passions with others, and develop important skills that will prove to be valuable in all areas of his life. The sense of accomplishment and fulfillment Paskvan will derive from mastering fiddle tunes and navigating the skies will build a more well-rounded and insightful individual.
I’m sure we are all looking forward to a bright future in Tristan’s playing, and where his passion for aviation will take him. After all, alphabetically, fiddling does come before flying.
All photos courtesy of Katie Paskvan.
