DAY OF TUNES 3
A musical journey across South-West Scotland, The Borders and Northumberland
We have brought together three great musicians to share their expertise in the music of South-West Scotland (Wendy Stewart), The Borders (Iain Fraser) and Northumberland (Alistair Anderson).
The workshops will take the form of masterclasses. There will be no in-depth tune-learning on the day, but each tutor will provide two or three tunes in advance (notation and recording), one of which will be suitable for less experienced players. You will be able to play the tunes with the tutor on the day, and aspects of the tunes will be used as illustrations.
The workshops are aimed at a wide range of levels. If you are a less experienced player, you won’t play along as much as more advanced students, but you’ll gain valuable insights to apply to your playing in the future. Complete beginners and players of other types of music are also very welcome.
Delivery: hosted online by Scots Music Group Zoom
Date: Saturday 26th February 2022
Time: Zoom opens at 9am and ends approx 1pm
Day Ticket: £30 pay more / £20 full / £12 concession
**Ticket sales end at 9am on 26th Feb**
We have included a ‘pay more’ price for anyone who is able to support Scots Music Group at this time, as most of our usual fundraising activities aren’t happening. If you don’t normally qualify for the concession price but have been financially affected by COVID, please pay the lower price.
WORKSHOP RUNNING ORDER
9.00 Zoom meeting opens
9.15 Welcome and warm up with Sarah Northcott
9.30-10.30 South-West Scotland with
Wendy Stewart
10.45-11.45 The Borders with Iain Fraser
12.00-1.00 Northumberland with Alistair Anderson
1.00 Farewells
What instruments are welcome?
All instruments! Music notation will be in concert pitch. Accompanists will benefit from a greater understanding of the tunes in general. Workshops will look at the pulse and overall rhythm of the tunes as well as the melody, which will be useful to both accompanists and melody players.
PLEASE READ THE WORKSHOP FAQS HERE
WENDY STEWART
Wendy Stewart is a leading Scottish harper, a world class performer and inspirational teacher whose style and repertoire encompasses both traditional music and her own compositions. She has produced 4 solo recordings, several music books and teaches all level of student, from beginner to graduate.
These days, much of Wendy`s musical life and inspiration stems from her home range and community in bonny Glencairn in South West Scotland. She continues to explore musical connections with the natural world, the spoken word, dance and science with several commissions on the go! Wendy is also a member of local group The Galloway Agreement, who, with writer Tom Pow, are currently working on a theatre production of their show The Village and the Road.
IAIN FRASER
Iain performs and teaches tradition-based music. His work has drawn on the extensive repertoire of traditional music ranging from 18th Century Scottish tunes to new self-penned compositions and from the multiple regional music styles of the British Isles to those of North America and Europe. His recent compositions of ensemble pieces aim to extend traditional Scottish music motifs and present them in new ways. In November 2021 a new commissioned piece ‘Gneiss’, was premiered at the Adult Fèis in Ullapool to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this annual teaching festival and an album of this work is due to be released very soon.
Between 1990-1995 Iain took on and developed the Glasgow Folk Workshop from a small group meeting in his house to a broad range of classes operating in central Glasgow. An active teacher in the Feisean movement, Iain has also been principal fiddle teacher at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and head of Instrumental Music for the Scottish Borders Education Authority. He was a founding director of the Merlin Academy in Melrose, and recently gained an MLitt with Distinction in Folklore from the University of Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute.
ALISTAIR ANDERSON
Alistair Anderson is internationally acknowledged as the master of the English Concertina and a fine exponent of the Northumbrian Pipes. He also has a growing reputation as a composer of new music rooted in the tradition. From numerous compositions and recordings based within his native Northumberland, he has also collaborated with musicians from around the world on a variety of projects, including dance, jazz, Chinese and classical music.
Alistair’s passionate belief that traditional music has an important part to play in contemporary society led him to look for ways to excite a new generation of young musicians. He founded Folkworks, which then became one of the founding partners of The Sage Gateshead. Working with Newcastle University’s Music Department, Alistair developed England’s first degree course in folk and traditional music which was launched in 2001.