Internationally renowned fiddlers, SOCAN members and married couple Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (of the group Leahy) received honourary Doctor of Law degrees from Trent University in Peterborough, Ont., during its graduation ceremonies on June 5, 2008.

Before presenting them with their degrees, Trent University professor Roy Hagman quipped that MacMaster and Leahy are the "Brad and Angelina" of the fiddling world. After briefly addressing the graduating class, the couple played a few songs together on their fiddles.

MacMaster, credited with lifting traditional East Coast music to its contemporary prominence, has won two Juno Awards, 11 East Coast Music Awards and several Canadian Country Music Awards for Fiddler of the Year. In 2000, she was nominated for a Grammy Award and in 2006, she became one of the youngest people named to the Order of Canada.

Leahy, considered one of the best fiddlers in the world, has won three Juno Awards, recorded three albums that have collectively sold more than 500,000 copies and developed a summer music camp in the Kawarthas for young musicians.