MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016: Friends of Wighton

Congratulations to Friends of Wighton who have been nominated in Community Project of the Year sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016. Vote now!

We asked Sheena Wellington of Friends of Wighton the following questions.

Tell us about yourself
The Wighton Heritage Centre, in Dundee central library, is home to an internationally important collection of old Scottish music books, mostly dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries. The Friends of Wighton organises concerts and classes to raise awareness of this great resource.

We run regular classes in Scots song (Sheena Wellington), Gaelic song (Wilma Kennedy), Fiddle (Karen Hannah), Whistle (Helen Forbes) and medieval harp (Simon Chadwick). Fees are £5 but these can be waived to ensure no-one is excluded. Very popular. particularly for people who, through age, infirmity, lack of transport or financial constraints, are rarely able to attend an evening concert, are our monthly free Lunchtime Recitals and our Saturday morning Cappuccino Concerts for which tickets are again a modest £5. We are particulalry keen to encourage young and emerging artists, working with Live Music Now and local schools to showcase their youthful talent. We visit local schools for talks and workshops and The Wighton Singers, our Scots song group, regularly perform at care homes, day centres and community groups. A multi-age group of our fiddle players took part in a project with the RSNO which was good for their development and hugely enjoyed.

Why are you involved in Scottish music?
Because we have a wealth of Scottish music in our Collection and we want the world to know about it and to use it!

Any particular career highlights?
The acquisition of the Sir Jimmy Shand Collection of Scottish and other historical music. WOur singers and instrumentalists have also performed for Christmas Light Nights, St Andrews Day celebrations and Councul receptions.

What are your plans for the future?
To continue to make the music contained in our wonderful Collections live in the hands and voices of musicians of all ages and all levels of skill.

If you would like to come along to the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in Dundee’s Caird Hall call the Caird Hall box office on (01382) 434940 or buy online.