Stir It Up. CD produced by Anderson High School music group Tunester.

Shetland’s 28th Young Fiddler of the Year is Chapman Cheng from Gulberwick. He won the title at the Garrison Theatre on Saturday night at the end of a two-day competition.

A big audience sat in growing excitement as adjudicators Bryan Gear, Ian Hardie and John Hutchison heard 10 finalists in two open com­petitions. In all,…

Scotland meets Sweden in Foogy, the new album from Catriona McKay and Olov Johansson, which features traditional and new music.

McKay, well-known as harpist in the band Fiddlers’ Bid, here plays her instrument to create a dynamic sound with Johansson, who plays the Swedish nyckelharpa. This instrument, literally key harp, dates back to the 14th…

The results of the Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Club’s annual tune competitions were announced at a guest artiste club night in the Shetland Hotel last Thursday. Once more there was an excellent response from composers of all ages for the competition.

Ian Muir, leader of the London based Craigellachie Dance Band, judged the tunes and…

The 16th Celtic Connections adventure ended on Sunday and as is now customary, a host of familiar Shetland names, predominantly fiddlers, graced the various venues over the 18 days of the festival.

Young Maggie Adamson, having won a Danny Kyle open stage award last year, got her chance at one of the bigger events this…

Danny Kyle open stage winners Maggie Adamson and Brian Nicholson had a busy year in 2008, appearing at the Shetland, Orkney and Gosport Folk Festivals and also performing at the Danny Kyle Memorial Concert in Paisley, marking 10 years from his death.

Making a wonderful start to this year they had their first official Celtic…

By NEIL RIDDELL

NEXT Thursday sees the 16th Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow get under way, with the now-customary influx of a whole host of Shetlanders – predominantly familiar names – peppering the line-up.

Fiddlers’ Bid will be appearing at the Showcase Scotland concert at the Old Fruitmarket, along with quintet Bodega who include…

TWO leading Shetland musicians will spearhead a music special to be broadcast Scotland-wide on Monday.

Steven Spence on fiddle and Gary Peterson on mandolin will join their direct relative Erik Spence from Inverness on accordion and keyboards in the programme featuring top talent from across the Highlands and Islands.

Erik’s daughter Iona, on guitar and…

Debbie Scott & Willie Johnson, The Selkies’ Song. Attic Records.

I WAS pleasantly surprised to find fiddler Debbie Scott standing by my desk the other day clutching a factory-fresh CD copy of her classic 1985 album Selkies’ Song. The last time I heard it was on LP about 15 years ago, a cherished copy of…

Steven Spence, Spencie’s Tunes Vol 2. CD and tune book available from www.spenciestunes.com and local shops.

I HAVE never come across a musician offering to compose a tune tailored to your whim in return for a modest wad of green- backs, but for Unst fiddler Steven Spence it’s surely his way of digging out and…