Internationally touring Canadian fiddler, step dancer and singer/songwriter April Verch is in the second decade of her career and will visit El Dorado County tonight for a special performance with her band.

“I have performed in El Dorado years before, and I have professionally toured for 15 years,” Verch said. “We are fortunate to be able to tour internationally, but I love coming to California because it is so beautiful and always changing.”

The April Verch Band will perform at 7 p.m. tonight at Union Mine High School Theater, 6530 Koki Lane, in El Dorado.

The band includes bassist and clawhammer banjo player Cody Walters and guitarist Hayes Griffin who has a master’s in jazz improv from the New England Conservatory.

“We are really looking forward to the show. If you saw us perform years ago, I think the audience will definitely see some changes and variety in our show,” Verch said. “We are a trio, but we play five different instruments between us. This is so much more than a fiddle concert.”

She said connecting with the audience is important for her band.

“We really like to communicate with our audience so they can both better understand us and our music,” she said. “In turn, they can also inspire us and we can better understand how to best perform for them while we are on stage.”

Verch said she blends the traditions of roots music and step-dancing with her own artistic voice and vision in a high-energy show.

“Growing up in Canada, my parents were fans of the local culture and I started taking step dancing at 3-years-old and playing the fiddle at 6,” Verch said. “I knew this was something I wanted to pursue at an early age. I have always loved performing.”

Verch even represented Canada’s fiddling tradition by performing in the Opening Ceremonies at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games....