Fiddle School
Shetland fiddle music is a fusion of thriving living traditions, which have evolved within tight geographical boundaries, integrated with cosmopolitan musical attitudes. The fiddle school gives students a unique opportunity to learn the skills and traditions of the Shetland fiddle style from some of its foremost exponents. Tutors this year will include Bryan Gear and Violet Tulloch; Catriona McDonald; Jenna Reid; Eunice Henderson with Pauleen Wiseman; Bernadette Porter with Jim Leask; Mark Laurenson and Annbjorg Lien, who will run a Norwegian fiddling class in Unst on Friday Morning.
Guitar accompaniment workshops will be held by John Hutchison and Kevin Mackenzie, who plays with Jenna Reid and Scottish Guitar Quartet.
We limit the number of students to 60 so that the class sizes never get too big or impersonal.
Classes comprise of group workshops and individual ‘wan to wan’s':
Each day’s workshop lessons stand alone, so if you chose to go on an afternoon trip you'll not find that the following morning’s class involves playing something you've missed out on. The basic tunes are taught in the mornings, and further style and bowing tips are covered in the afternoons.
There's also optional daily classes to teach the tunes students can perform en mass at Saturday night’s concert, as we'd like you to be able to show Shetland the skills you've learned.
Towards the end of the week each student gets the chance of a 20 minute “wan to wan” (one to one) with a tutor. Here the playing agenda is yours: question them on any subject and get that in depth individual lesson. Most of the tutors attend the social events too and welcome the interaction with our guests, so there’s always the chance of informally getting that playing tip you’ve been looking for.
And there's always additional help available to those who need it.
Tutoring is done by ear (just like how the traditions have been passed down the generations) and we advise that you bring recording device with you, as a full week of tune learning can fill your brain and you'll need some refreshing when you get home! (sheet music will be provided in your departure pack at the end of the week)
Students are split into learning categories to ensure they are at a level that suits their needs:
Group tuition at The Lounge
1. Absolute beginners
2. Slow
3. Medium
and of course....
4. Fast
When booking the course we ask you to grade yourself to one of the above classes but after registration on the first day you get a chance to re-grade yourselves at the workshops when you can experience the speed of teaching.
Tutors 2008
Catriona McDonald: Began playing under Dr Tom Anderson’s masterful musical tutelage. She won Young Fiddler of the Year in the annual Shetland Folk Society competition and became the deputy leader of Shetland’s Young Heritage.
Her album "Bold" saw her flourishing as a progressive solo performer, followed up recently by her acclaimed CD "Over The Moon". Catriona is also a key member of Blazin' Fiddles.
Her commitment to the promotion of Shetland’s heritage through education is also an important part of her work; from her involvement in introducing Shetland Traditional Fiddle Music into the Scottish Certificate '0' Grade Music; as a visiting tutor for the Scottish Music Degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Dance and the Universities of Limerick and Stirling. Catriona also teaches Shetland fiddle at many of the UK's main summer schools.
Jenna Reid: Studied with the late Willie Hunter and by the age of 14 won 'Shetlands Young Fiddler of the Year' competition. She also studied with Trevor Hunter and Margaret Scollay. On leaving school, Jenna went on to study a BA in Traditional Scottish Music at the Royal Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow. She plays in the groups Filska, Dochas and has an increasingly successful solo career recently releasing her second CD, "Laughing Girl". She’s always been a popular tutor at Fiddle Frenzy!
Eunice Henderson: Originally taught by Dr Tom Anderson and member of Young Heritage. Eunice now tutors fiddle in Shetland Schools and plays with the Heritage Fiddlers and her recently formed Ceilidh Pukkels. She has taught Shetland fiddle internationally, most recently in summer schools in the United States
Pauleen Wiseman: Began fiddle at 6 and was taught by Catriona McDonald, Jeanna Inkster, Dr Tom Anderson and Willie Hunter. Pauleen plays with Shetland's Heritage Fiddlers and occasionally with Da Fustra Dance Band. After graduating with a BA degree in 2001, She has been teaching traditional fiddle along with flute and piano in seven local schools.
Bryan Gear: A student of the late great Willie Hunter, possibly Brian's greatest accolade is that many prominent Shetland musicians now recognise him as Willie's worthy successor in the field of Shetland traditional fiddle music. Brian has traveled playing extensively throughout the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Europe and the Far-East. He tutored for the first time at Fiddle Frenzy 2007 and is returning to pass on his expertise in classes and the Wan to Wan sessions
Violet Tulloch: Another high profile member of the Shetland traditional music scene, Violet is internationally acclaimed for her unique piano accompaniment style having played with legendary names such as Tom Anderson and more recently Aly Bain. In this role she has made many radio and television appearances and recently was the focus of her own radio biography on BBC Radio Scotland with Robbie Shepherd.
Bernadette Porter: Taught alongside Dr Tom Anderson and now teaches in schools across Shetland. She has toured extensively teaching with her husband Jim Leask; both of them very popular regulars, requested back time and again to tutor at Fiddle Frenzy. "New Tradition" her youth group has over many years been an inspiration to many players and tutors at events locally, nationally and internationally experimenting with instruments and arrangements but never losing their Shetland heritage.
Jim Leask: to follow
Mark Laurenson: Mark started playing the fiddle at the age of 8, receiving lessons from Shetland fiddle legend Willie Hunter then, from Margaret Scollay and Eunice Henderson. He plays a number of instruments including guitar and mandolin. At the age of 15 Mark won the title of Shetland's Young Fiddler of the Year and in 2003 was a finalist in the prestigious competition 'Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year'.
Mark, now based in Norway, has made a number of national and international live appearances, and is a member of Shetland band's 'Drop The Box' and 'Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag'. He makes a welcome return to Fiddle Frenzy’s tutoring team
Annbjorg Lien: (Guest Tutor) Norwegian hardanger fiddle player Annbjorg Lien has achieved global recognition. Over the course of three albums (four in her native country) she's shown herself to be not only technically skilled, but remarkably melodically inventive.
"My dad was my first teacher for the first ten years; he played hardanger fiddle. Then I moved to Oslo and went to art school. After that I started to visit fiddle players. I wanted to get close up and see why they played so good; know why they had this deep interest and what inspired them."
Margaret Scollay: Margaret is at least the third generation of fiddlers. She began lessons with Dr Tom Anderson winning the inaugural 'Shetland Young Fiddler of the Year' competition in 1982 (her son Ryan won the same trophy 25 years later). Margaret teaches fiddle in Shetland schools. Where she created a number of out-of-school fiddle groups, the most successful of which was 'High Strings' which went on to release three albums. More recently Margaret developed the syllabus for grade exams in Traditional Fiddle in conjunction with Trinity Guildhall in London.
Her fiddle career has now reverted to a more solo path, and has recently seen the release of a book and CD, 'The Wilderness Collection Vol 1'.
John Hutchison: (Guitar Tutor) An important element of Shetland traditional music is its unique components; the many different musical strands that go to make up the overall recognised Shetland tradition, fiddle with guitar or piano accompaniment. John is from the island of Whalsay and is son of, Gibby ( 89 - one of the few surviving islanders who still plays in the traditional Whalsay style).
Expert at Whalsay style and Peerie Willie style guitar accompaniment, John has become one of our most popular tutors bringing with him an intimate understanding of the traditions and accompanying them in our unique fashion.
Kevin Mackenzie: (Guest Guitar Tutor) Kevin is one of Scotland’s most in-demand musicians with projects ranging from 'Trio AAB' and the 'Scottish Guitar Quartet' to the Finlay Macdonald Band and Jenna Reid. He has toured all over the world and has recorded on over 40 albums.
The Lerwick workshops are based in Islesburgh Community Centre, an ideal historic venue in the heart of the town.
