Arts / New fiddle summer school scheduled for next year
A NEW fiddle summer school is set to take place next year offering tuition and concerts.
Shetland Fiddle Week, created by local musicians Jenna Reid and Lynda Anderson, will be held between 5 and 9 August.
It comes as Shetland Arts has no plans to hold the Folk Frenzy event in 2024, which had hosted workshops and concerts.
Based in Lerwick with visits to surrounding areas, the fiddle week will focus on teaching the unique tunes and culture of the Shetland fiddle tradition.
Tickets will also be available to the public for the three concerts taking place across the week, featuring tutors and local musicians.
Tutors for the week will include Ross Couper, Andrew Gifford and Kirsten Hendry who will deliver a range of classes to suit all abilities.
Reid said: “I’m so thrilled to be offering this fiddle week with Lynda. We’re really excited to deliver a week of wonderful tuition, community and music at its best.
“I continually meet students who are keen to learn more about the Shetland fiddle tradition and want to experience the islands themselves, and so am delighted to be able to provide this opportunity for them to visit and study.”
Anderson added: “We share a strong passion for providing opportunities for others to learn the fiddle tradition that is so close to our hearts.
“Our key aim is to ensure students are supported in their learning and to provide opportunities for them to meet the wider community and experience the beauty of Shetland.
“I believe events like this are a really important part of sharing and preserving Shetland’s unique musical history.”
Students are invited to visit www.shetlandfiddleweek.com for more information or email hello@shetlandfiddleweek.com to sign up.
Meanwhile a spokesperson for Shetland Arts confirmed it has no plans to host any of its festivals in 2024.
They added: “However, this doesn’t mean we won’t be running events celebrating the various artforms and revisiting festivals again once we’re into the next funding round in 2025 – we’re just taking a break for a year.”
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