Champion fiddler has instruments stolen from Sherwood Park home

Life hit a sour note this week for a two-time grand North American fiddle champion from Alberta when his prize instruments were stolen.

Alfie Myhre, who founded Myhre's Music in Edmonton, had his Sherwood Park home broken into on Monday.

The 77-year-old legend made the discovery when he arrived home from the store just after 6 p.m.

"I walked in, unlocked the front door and noticed right away that somebody has been in this house, not just my wife and I," said Myhre. "The back door was kicked in and we started noticing things missing."

Myhre's thoughts immediately turned to his cherished instruments in his music room.

"They had grabbed the banjo and taken it without the case, so I assume it was just thrown in the car," Myhre said, cringing. "Which really hurts, because it's a collectible banjo. It would probably go back to the early 1920s or '30s, so there'd only be ... if there's two in Canada I'd be surprised. It's a very ornate banjo and it's probably worth quite a bit of money."

He got his first violin at age five

8 years ago

Duration 1:00

Founder of Myhre’s Music Alfie Myhre demonstrates his fiddling skills

The fiddle that Myhre plays most was also stolen. He estimates a total of $10,000 to $15,000 worth of musical equipment was taken. But it's the sentimental rather than monetary value that really plucked at Myhre's heart strings.

"The violin that's been taken, I've probably played that for the last 30 years, and the banjo likewise," said Myhre. "Losing them hurts tremendously. I don't know how else to really explain that, other than the fact that I spent years in the business and playing many, many violins, many fiddles of different makes and models. And this particular little violin, this little copy of a Maggini, had a feel, like people would describe as 'this is like coming home', when you play this, it's like coming home."

That instrument was passed on  Myhre's son, Byron who plays second fiddle to no one except perhaps his dad.

"When Byron was starting to enter fiddle competitions, I gave him my little Maggini," said Myhre. "Of course, he did very well. He won the grand North American twice too, playing that particular instrument."

The Myhres have now posted details and pictures of the missing instruments on Facebook in hopes that someone will spot them.

"I'm not looking for replacement or cash value or anything. I'm just hoping I can get my instruments back."