Eric and Helen Allan have been active in Scottish music and culture for several decades. They were both born and raised in Lanarkshire, but moved to Inverness in 1964. While they have been engaged in different areas of music for most of their lives, it wasn’t until the 1970s that they became involved in traditional music through the Inverness Fiddlers. They were influenced by established players in the group, as well as other fiddle societies, performers such as Alasdair Fraser and Douglas Lawrence, and the great Shetland and Cape Breton players. They also drew inspiration from visiting musicians, young players, and Scandinavian groups.
Growing up, they heard many different kinds of music from the radio and 78rpm records, including Scots song and country dance music. However, their passion for traditional Scottish music has never faded. They have witnessed how the scene has evolved from considering “folk” as a minority interest to acceptance of its place in Scottish and international culture, and how bodies such as the Centre of Excellence at Plockton and the Fèisean have helped enormously in passing on and developing knowledge and skills.
Eric and Helen became very aware of the dynamic tradition of Scottish instrumental music, and in the 1990s, they saw a demand for the classic 18th and 19th collections, copies of which were almost all in libraries. They had the skills and interest to make these available, so they established the charity Highland Music Trust, and set about voluntarily transcribing and producing some of these collections, which would then be accessible to players and scholars worldwide. These include the great Athole and Glen Collections and the work of major composers including Robert Mackintosh and William Marshall. In addition to their published books, they have transcribed a number of collections for free download from the Trust’s website. The work of discovery and preparation, and the public response, have made this most enjoyable. They are very happy that TMSA, who have taken over as trustees, will continue the work of the Trust.
They have also published 3 books of Eric’s compositions and created recordings of his tunes written to raise thousands of pounds for the charity Friends of Highland Music. As members of the former group Birl, they performed regularly at festivals and the National Mod.
At their age, Eric and Helen aren’t planning any major new projects, but Eric still runs a music session, plays for good causes, occasionally composes, and does little fiddle repairs. Their contribution to Scottish music and culture has been significant, and they have left a lasting legacy through Highland Music Trust.