Scots Fiddle Festival ‘Fiddle 2014’
Summerhall and The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
Friday 21 – Sunday 23 November 2014
‘Event of the Year’ in the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2012
Big Changes at Fiddle 2014 in Edinburgh
THREE Major Concerts at The Queen’s Hall (Orkney Fiddle Gathering, John McCusker, Frankie Gavin) And Everything Else Under One Roof at Summerhall
This year’s Scots Fiddle Festival sees some big changes.
• We will have three major concerts in The Queens Hall, each evening of the week-end, featuring the very best of Scottish, American and Irish fiddlers
• The rest of the Festival (workshops, youth workshops, recitals, talks, free events, stalls, ceilidhs, festival clubs, open stage, sessions, slow sessions) will take place Under One Roof at nearby Summerhall
Eilidh Steel, Artistic Director, said: “I’m really excited about this year’s diverse line up – three evening concerts with virtuosic tradition bearers such as Frankie Gavin, Mike McGoldrick and John McCusker, a whole night celebrating the Orkney Islands’ rich music , directed by acclaimed fiddler, Douglas Montgomery, a storming duo, Ross Couper and Tom Oakes, and one of the world’s most innovative players, Casey Driessen, who will travel over from the States to appear at the festival… and these are just the main concerts! Fiddle 2014 has something for everyone and I’m sure it will entertain, inspire and encourage all those who get involved.”
We are delighted to announce not two, but three, major concerts this year.
Friday 21 Nov
7.30 pm The Orkney Fiddle Gathering
Featuring many award-winners and sought-after acts from throughout the island group, including Douglas Montgomery, Fionn MacArthur, Kenny Ritch, Andrew Gifford, FARA (Catriona Price, Jen Austin, Louise Bichan, Jeana Leslie), Hadhirgaan, Brian Cromarty, Billy Peace, Gavin Firth, Erik Laughton plus many other special guests.
Beth Sederstrom, Chair of the Scots Fiddle Festival, said: “It is amazing to have 20 Orcadian musicians heading to Edinburgh for one special evening showcasing the very best of their music.”
“The Gathering emphatically foregrounded Orkney folk’s greatness as musicians.”
(Sue Wilson, The Scotsman)
Saturday 22 Nov
7.30 pm Michael McGoldrick and John McCusker with Matheu Watson
Members of BBC’s Transatlantic Sessions, Michael McGoldrick and John McCusker’s recent achievements include playing regularly in Mark Knopfler’s band and touring with Bob Dylan!
McGoldrick is rightly regarded as one of the greatest traditional flute players of all time. McCusker’s qualities as performer, composer and producer are supreme; he has worked with Paulo Nutini, Jools Holland, Steve Earle, Rosanne Cash, Paul Weller, Ocean Colour Scene, and Phil and Aly, to name but a few.
They are joined by Matheu Watson on guitar. Watson’s recent gigs are a who’s who of the folk, roots and world music scenes, Cara Dillon, Julie Fowlis, Dougie MacLean, Emily Smith, Kris Drever, Heidi Talbot, Tim O’Brien, Ron Block, Fred Morrison, Paddy Keenan, Mike McGoldrick, Ross Ainslie, Jarlath Henderson, Bruce MacGregor, Duncan Chisholm, Tommy Peoples…. Need we say more?
Casey Driessen
Raised on bluegrass and jazz, Casey Driessen is inspired, unconventional and truly original. One man. One fiddle. One pedal board. Mixing his signature percussive fiddle style with digital loops and effects, the GRAMMY-nominated American builds each show layer by layer in real time in front of the audience. The result is a one of a kind experience that pushes the boundaries of musical genres and styles.
Scots Fiddle Festival Outreach Project
What this festival is all about, connecting world-class performers and local musicians. and perform in front of a packed Queens Hall. Find out why we are so proud of them (and their tutors). Young Edinburgh fiddlers get the chance to take to the stage and perform in front of a packed Queens Hall. Find out why we are so proud of them (and their tutors).
Sunday 23 Nov
7.00 pm (note time)
Frankie Gavin
Founder member of De Dannan, largely self-taught on fiddle and whistle, Frankie Gavin astonishes audiences everywhere, as befits the fastest fiddle-player in the world (Guinness Book of Records). He has played with Andy Irvine, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Stéphane Grappelli, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. In this special Sunday addition to our Festival, Frankie will be accompanied by guitarist Colm O’ Caoimh.
Ross Couper & Tom Oakes w/ special guest
Ross Couper’s explosive fiddle playing lies at the heart of some of the biggest acts on the Scottish folk scene, currently the fiddle player in the mighty Peatbog Faeries. Tom Oakes is a multi-award winning guitarist and flautist, a founder member of the genre defying Auvo Quartet and a sought after solo flautist.
And we are really excited to announce that all of the rest of the programme (recitals, workshops, youth event, stalls, Festival Club, ceilidhs, food and drink, sessions) will take place in one fantastic building, Edinburgh’s most exciting new arts centre, Summerhall.
Ever since Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms’ refurbishment necessitated the relocation of the Festival, we have had to spread the event over multiple sites. This caused some difficulty for our regular attenders and some unwelcome ticketing complications. So we are especially delighted that this year every other part of the Festival will take place in Summerhall, the ideal venue, with its many rooms, fine catering and unique ambiance. Summerhall and the Scots Fiddle Festival are made for each other.
For full details, see www.scotsfiddlefestival.com
Recitals (Saturday 22 Nov and Sunday 23 Nov afternoon)
Douglas Lawrence with Maureen Rutherford, Ryan Young, Graham MacKenzie, Small Hall Band, Eilidh Steel & Mark Neal, the debut performance from The Reverie Band (Angus Grant, Mary McGillivray, Julia Dignan, Ester Kuck, Toby Shippy), Mhairi Marwick, Rowan Leslie & Graeme Armstrong, Gillian Frame & Findlay Napier, and Paul Anderson.
Workshop Leaders
Workshops this year cover a wide range of themes, bowing, tunes, improvisation, chords, bowing, and various fiddling styles from around Scotland. Full details on the website. Learn from our headline performers.
Douglas Montgomery & Gavin Firth, Brian Cromarty & Erik Laughton & Billy Peace, John McCusker, Andrew Gifford & Fionn McArthur, Casey Driessen, Angus Grant Jr., Paul Anderson, Gillian Frame, Sophie Stephenson (step dance), Casey Driessen, Ross Couper
Talks (Saturday 22 Nov and Sunday 23 Nov afternoon)
Talks cover everything to do with the fiddle, all about fiddle music, how to keep your fiddle fit, how to be as fit as your fiddle, and a special talk from the Musicians’ Union.
Douglas Montgomery, Brian Cromarty, Kenny Ritch; Steve Burnett (Edinburgh-based maker of the Sherlock, Inveresk and Wilfred Owen violins), Dr Sara Watkin, Alastair Hardie (30th Anniversary of The Hardie Press), Simon McKerrell (Who Understands Scotland Musically?), Ronnie Gibson ( Niel Gow’s Legacy).
Walks (Saturday 22 Nov morning)
Pete Clark leads a guided tour telling the story of Edinburgh’s fiddle tradition – from the graveyards and closes of the Old Town to present-day Sandy Bell’s pub.
Ceilidhs (Friday 21 and Saturday 22 November evenings)
You’d pay good money just to sit and listen to these musicians; now, you can dance along too.
Friday: Lomond Ceilidh Band (Alan Small on accordion and midi bass, Callum Wallace on drums and Shetland star Gemma Donald on fiddle)
Saturday: Sandy Brechin, Charlie McKerron & Brian Ò hEadhra
And Much More
• Full programme of Youth events
• Late night Festival Club
• Sessions
• Food and Drink
• Friendship and Good Company on tap all week-end
Full details: www.scotsfiddlefestival.com
Tickets from The Queen’s Hall Box Office 0131 668 2019 www.thequeenshall.net
In Person at The Queen’s Hall, 85 – 89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9JG
Open Mon – Sat 10am – 5.30pm
Contact Festival at 0131 555 7669 info@scotsfiddlefestival.com
For further press information contact:
Douglas McKelvie 0131 557 0559 press@scotsfiddlefestival.com
www.scotsfiddlefestival.com Twitter: @scotsfiddlefest www.facebook.com/scotsfiddlefest
For more information please contact:
The Scots Fiddle Festival
16 Bonnington Grove
EDINBURGH
UK
EH6 4BW
447939634039
http://www.scotsfiddlefestival.com/fiddle2014/
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