Featuring over 40 musicians and 50 events across one weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland’s largest fiddle festival is celebrating its 21st year with a wealth of distinguished and upcoming talent on the bill.
The Friday night concert in The Queen’s Hall kicks off proceedings with Glasgow based acoustic trio Snuffbox, featuring Charlie Stewart, the 2017 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year on fiddle, followed by Highland fiddler Graham Mackenzie and his nine- piece band, playing music from his album ‘Crossing Borders’.
On Saturday night in The Queen’s Hall, Perthshire fiddler, Patsy Reid, will be headlining with her band along with the Jeremy Kittel Trio from the USA. The concert will be opened by the Scots Fiddle Festival Outreach Project which features young fiddle stars of tomorrow.
This year, the Sunday night concert takes place in Summerhall, with music from Jenna Moynihan & Màiri Chaimbeul and the group, Dallahan.
You can also dance the evening away on Friday night with Grouse Ceilidh Band at Summerhall, then follow onto the Festival Club or late night sessions on Friday and Saturday night.
New Artistic Director, Rosie Munro, said “It’s been an exciting year for me taking on the role of Artistic Director from Eilidh Steel. We are thrilled to present another packed programme of concerts, recitals, talks, workshops, special events and more at The Queen’s Hall and Summerhall in Edinburgh, showcasing a selection of the best fiddle players from Scotland and further afield. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to the festival, especially the artists travelling from America – the Jeremy Kittel Trio and Jenna Moynihan who will be performing with Màiri Chaimbeul.”
During the days there are workshops for all levels (including ones specifically for young people), covering fiddle and mixed instrument options from many top artists as well as recitals, talks, ‘come and try’ sessions – which are ideal for those who have never played but want to try fiddle, a slow session and market stalls– all based at Summerhall. To highlight the weekend, representatives of the Festival visit local primary schools to share our passion for Scottish music with young people and provide information packs for the teaching staff.
Taking place 17-19 November, tickets and more details about the Fiddle 2017 programme and performers are available from: www.scotsfiddlefestival.com or from The Queen’s Hall Box Office, 85-89 Clerk St, Edinburgh, EH8 9JG, tel: 0131 668 2019. A number of activities are free during the festival and paid for event prices start from £5, with special prices for under 16s, and weekend or evening only saver tickets are on offer, so you can see more for your money.
Organised by the Scots Fiddle Festival, Fiddle 2017 is made possible by funding from the City of Edinburgh Council, plus donations from the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra, Eskmills, KJ Tait Engineers and Foxlake Adventures; and partners – Glasgow Folk-Music Workshop, Stringers and Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin as well as all the volunteers and other supporters who help the Festival run each year.
ENDS
For further press information contact:
Rosie Munro
Email: rosie@scotsfiddlefestival.com
Photos are available by request info@scotsfiddlefestival.com and www.scotsfiddlefestival.com
Notes to Editors:
• The Scots Fiddle Festival originally started in 1996 with the aim to promote and sustain traditional fiddle music and 21 years on this is still our aim. Throughout the years, the amount of events at the festival has tripled. It brings people together from all over the world, both performers and audience members and continues to inspire thousands of people to enjoy and take part in traditional music, either as players, learners, listeners or dancers.
• Our all-volunteer committee spends the whole year organising the festival and is helped, at the weekend itself, by a further army of enthusiastic volunteers.
• The Scots Fiddle Festival Outreach Project has been running for five years with a new group of young fiddle players aged 12-18 in the run up to the festival who then perform at the Saturday night concert at the festival. Participants work with professional musicians to build repertoire, develop skills, confidence and gain experience.
• Also each year the Scots Fiddle Festival visit a number of schools in and around Edinburgh to talk about the festival, to educate and share our passion for Scottish music, providing an information pack for teachers with resources to use with their pupils.
• For more details about the Festival visit www.scotsfiddlefestival.com or contact: info@scotsfiddlefestival.com
Listings information – Fiddle 2017 – Scots Fiddle Festival
Featuring:
The Jeremy Kittel Trio, Patsy Reid, Graham Mackenzie, Snuffbox, Dallahan, Jenna Moynihan & Mairi Chàimbeul, Grouse Ceilidh Band and many more.
Venues: Summerhall and The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
Dates: Friday 17 – Sunday 19 November 2017
More information and tickets now on sale from: www.scotsfiddlefestival.com
Headline concerts at The Queen’s Hall on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November, 85-89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh EH8 9JG:
Friday 17 November: (7.30pm – 10pm)
Snuffbox and Graham Mackenzie (plus his band featuring George Smith, Robbie Mackenzie, Innes Watson, Alice Allen, Charlie Stewart, Ciorstaidh Beaton, Jim Molyneux, David Shedden and Alison Mackenzie)
Saturday 18 November: (7.30pm-10pm)
Patsy Reid (plus band featuring Ewan MacPherson, Signy Jakobsdóttir and Alistair Iain Paterson) and the Jeremy Kittel Trio. With support from this year’s Scots Fiddle Festival Outreach Project.
Headline concert at Summerhall on Sunday 19 November, 1 Summerhall, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL:
Sunday 19 November: (8pm-10.30pm)
Jenna Moynihan & Màiri Chaimbeul and Dallahan
Other evening events at Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, EH9 1PL
Friday Night Ceilidh – Grouse Ceilidh Band, Summerhall 7.30pm
Grouse Ceilidh Band are one of the UK’s finest ceilidh bands with years of experience playing professionally for weddings, parties, corporate events, functions and special occasions. A night of dancing with the band includes classic ceilidh dances like the Gay Gordons and Dashing White Sergeant in addition to popular new dances. Newcomers needn’t worry, as all dances are guided step-by-step by our expert callers, ensuring a fun and inclusive night for all!
Tickets available from The Queen’s Hall in advance – www.queenshall.net or in person 85-89 Clerk Street or tel: 0131 668 2019 or at Summerhall just before and during the ceilidh. Also available as part of weekend/saver ticket deals for Fiddle 2017 – more details about the festival at www.scotsfiddlefestival.com
Festival Club Dissection Room Friday & Saturday 11pm -1am
Late night session Summerhall Cafe Friday & Saturday 10pm – 1am
Daytime Events – all take place at Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, EH9 1PL
Recitals – Every hour between 12-4pm
Saturday:
12.00pm Archie McAllister
1.00pm Mairi Thérèse Gilfedder
2.00pm OBT (featuring Tom Oakes, Jon Bews and Daniel Thorpe)
3.00pm Charlie Grey and Joseph Peach
4.00pm Carly Blain
Sunday:
12.00pm RCS Junior Conservatoire
1.00pm Fika Collective
2.00pm Pete Clark and Muriel Johnstone
3.00pm Sally Simpson and Catriona Hawksworth
4.00pm Amy Geddes
Workshops – 90 minutes of great learning – check the website for the level of each workshop
Saturday:
10.00-11.30am
Carly Blain – Carly Blain’s Tunes
Pete Clark – Tempo, Tone & Expression
12-1.30pm
Patsy Reid – Fiddle Technique
Daniel Thorpe – Beginner Fiddle
2-3.30pm
Graham Mackenzie – Tunes from Crossing Borders
Archie McAllister – West Coast Fiddle
Sunday:
10.00-11.30am
Amy Geddes – A Taste of Fyne Fiddles
Jenna Moynihan & Mairi Chàimbeul – Appalachian Old-Time Mixed Instrument
12-1.30pm
Quinn Bachand – Guitar
Joshua Pinkham – Mandolin
2-3.30pm
Jeremy Kittel – Tunes and Technique
Tom Oakes – DADGAD Guitar
Youth workshops in partnership with Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin
Saturday:
10.00-11.30am Beginner Fiddle with Sally Simpson
Sunday:
10.00-11.30am Intermediate/Advanced Fiddle with Sally Simpson
Special Events
Saturday:
1pm Pete Clark Talk – ‘If Only They Could Talk: Niel Gow and his Fiddles’
2pm BIT Collective Discussion
3pm Introducing the Musicians Union
5pm Carly Blain Book Launch (free)
Sunday:
11am ‘The Groove is Not Trivial’ Film Screening
1pm Amy Geddes Book Launch (free)
2pm Mark Borthwick Discussion
3pm David Francis Talk – ‘Dance Callers in Scotland’
5pm Final Stramash
Free events & activities
Stalls – Saturday & Sunday 10am – 5pm
Live Fiddle Making – Matthew Hannafin Saturday & Sunday
Book Launch & Signing – Carly Blain (Saturday) and Amy Geddes (Sunday)
Session Saturday & Sunday 10am – 5pm
Slow session Saturday & Sunday 1pm – 5pm. In association with Glasgow Folk Workshop
Come and Try Fiddle with Isla Ferguson Saturday 11am – 12pm. Many thanks to Stringers Violin Shop for supplying instruments for this workshop
Come and Try Gaelic with Eilidh Munro Sunday 11am – 12pm
Final Stramash One of the biggest sessions you’ll ever play in Sunday 5pm
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