November 2004 Preview: St Andrew's Night Celebration

THIS IS THE Society’s fourth annual St Andrew’s Night event, celebrating the wealth of Scottish music, words and song. Presenters Bill Hamilton and Rona Taylor will introduce the items, with stories and quotations from Scottish writing.

Holly Besant is an outstanding young Scots singer (and fiddler) from Stromeferry. She spent 2 years at the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton, and features on two of the CDs marketed by the Centre. She sang for the Queen at the Golden Jubilee in Portree and has appeared in concerts at Glasgow City Halls and Eden Court Theatre. She has gained a scholarship to attend a degree course at Berklee College of Music in Boston, a major world centre for contemporary music.

The Gaelic singing group Fionnar (Gaelic for fresh or cool) is quite unique – a collection of some of the finest young established musicians from all over Scotland, set up by Fiona MacKenzie, the Dingwall-based holder of the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship. They have been singing together for over a year and have been expanding their repertoire all the time.

They have been invited by An Comunn Gaidhealach to represent the Highlands at the Celtfest in Cork next March to launch the city’s European City of Culture celebrations. The group at our concert features Mod medal winners Davina Macintyre from Ardrishaig and Amanda Macmillan from Oban; Katie MacKenzie from Dingwall, who also plays clarsach and fiddle and is studying at RSAMD in Glasgow; Alison Buchanan from Glasgow and Eilean Green from Achiltibuie, both also pipers; Lauren Tait from Fort William, a student at Sabhal Mor Ostaig and clarsach player; and Megan Henderson, from the well-known Fort William musical family, also involved in pipes, accordion and dance.

Iain Hamilton is one of our finest local pipers, combining innovation with a great respect for musical tradition. He has played since he was at primary school, and in his youth was involved in the competition circuit. His adult experience includes solo and small group work, and as part of the family pipe band he has travelled as far afield as Monaco and New York. He has featured in the Aberdeen ceilidh band Itchy Fingers, and his music has taken him to many countries.

Duncan Dyker is perhaps best-known locally as Leader of the Inverness Fiddlers, but is also a fine solo fiddler and member of local group Birl. He has been several times National Mod champion. Although his playing is grounded in excellent teaching in both fiddle and pipes in his home town of Huntly, his style is affirmatively Highland, as demonstrated in his new CD Collectors’ Items.

Inverness Fiddlers have been entertaining audiences at home and abroad for 27 years, with their blend of classic fiddle tunes, Gaelic and pipe music and contemporary compositions, all played in true Highland style. They are equally at home on the concert stage or playing for local charity events. Their annual Fiddlers’ Rally in Eden Court is always a sellout, and attracts guest fiddlers from all over Scotland.

This is going to be a great event, and it will be brought to a close in fitting style by Auld Lang Syne to the original tune, led by Fiona MacKenzie.

The Saltire Society Highland Branch hold their St Andrew’s Night Celebration at the Town House in Inverness on 27 November 2004 (7.30pm)

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