We're excited for Shetland Fiddle Week to return in August for its second year.
Our opening day on Monday will take place at the iconic Shetland Museum & Archives, a stunning building on Lerwick's waterfront that showcases Shetland's cultural history and the perfect place to introduce you to our vibrant and beautiful islands, steeped in maritime, crofting and musical history.
Most of the workshops will be delivered at Islesburgh Community Centre - a beautifully restored former school that holds a special role in Shetland's musical life having hosted a number of musical groups and festivals over the years.
On Wednesday, students will spend a day in Scalloway - Shetland's former capital and a town with historic connections to Shetland seafaring traditions, including being strongly involved in the 'Shetland Bus' operations during WW2. With a beautiful coastal waterfront packed with colour and culture, and an outstanding local museum, it will give us a day of town to soak up a different area of Shetland.
Our first evening concert will take place on Wednesday evening, at Lerwick's beautiful St Columna's church. Visit our 'Concerts' page for more info.
Sessions at Lerwick Boating Club give students the chance to play tunes together and meet local musicians. Sitting on the waterfront within the heat of Lerwick's oldest area, the Boating Club is just a few doors down from the location used as the home of Jimmy Perez in the TV drama 'Shetland'. Views of the harbour and across to the island of Bressay are stunning and you might catch a glimpse of orca if you're lucky. Sessions will cater for all abilities, with e slower session upstairs and a faster one downstairs.
The finale concert and dance for the week will take place at Aith Public Hall, on the west side of the Shetland mainland. Visit our 'Concerts' page for more info.
Fiddle Workshops are divided to suit three levels of playing ability - Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced. Don't worry if you're not sure which class would suit you best, you're welcome to move between them if you need to. Our fiddle tutors for 2025 will be: Lois Nicol, Kirsten Hendry and Alison Anderson, with Jenna Reid leading the Ensemble group. We also offer a mixed instrument class, which will be led by guitarist and fiddler Robbie Leask.
Keep an eye here for updates on the programme as we finalise more detail, and please do email us at hello@shetlandfiddleweek.com if you have any questions. We're really looking forward to spending the week with everyone and sharing Shetland's music traditions with you.
Kirsten is an experienced teacher and performer who is based in Shetland. She is one of Shetland Island Council's full time Traditional Fiddle Tutors and has taught many of Shetland's young players in recent years.. She has performed with many bands in Shetland, and recently recorded with local musician Adam Guest on his debut album.
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Kirsten is an experienced teacher and performer who is based in Shetland. She is one of Shetland Island Council's full time Traditional Fiddle Tutors and has taught many of Shetland's young players in recent years.. She has performed with many bands in Shetland, and recently recorded with local musician Adam Guest on his debut album.
Having graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with a degree in Scottish Music, Kirsten has been teaching fiddle all over Shetland for the past 11 years. She plays regularly with a variety of local bands and is also an accomplished piano accompanist and composer.
Kirsten is heavily involved in promoting and supporting young musicians in Shetland, working with both the Shetland Youth Music Festival, and Shetland Accordion and Fiddle committee.
Lois Nicol is a fiddle player and teacher from Lerwick. She grew up in a very musical family and was steeped in the music of the Isles from a young age. Lois went on to study on the prestigious Folk and Traditional Music Degree at Newcastle University, before returning home and gaining a diploma in Secondary Education. She has extensive e
Lois Nicol is a fiddle player and teacher from Lerwick. She grew up in a very musical family and was steeped in the music of the Isles from a young age. Lois went on to study on the prestigious Folk and Traditional Music Degree at Newcastle University, before returning home and gaining a diploma in Secondary Education. She has extensive experience as an effective and inspiring music tutor, teaching through one-to-one lessons and workshops, as well as within the classroom. Lois has performed around the world, and recorded with bands such as Haltadans, Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag, and most recently as part of local bluegrass and Americana outfit, Kansa.
Growing up in Shetland surrounded by music, Alison has enjoyed playing in various groups over the years. She has had the privilege of sharing Shetland music in Norway, Ireland, Sardinia and Scotland. Alison was fortunate to first perform at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2014 with Hjaltibonhoga and continued to do so for the next
Growing up in Shetland surrounded by music, Alison has enjoyed playing in various groups over the years. She has had the privilege of sharing Shetland music in Norway, Ireland, Sardinia and Scotland. Alison was fortunate to first perform at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2014 with Hjaltibonhoga and continued to do so for the next 6 years. She has performed as part of the Tattoo showcasing Shetland and Scottish music in Australia, New Zealand, Oslo, and Dusseldorf. Alison has collaborated with her daughter Yelena and Penicuik's very talented pianist Graham McDonald to showcase Shetland music, and she enjoys playing with Shetland folk band 'Beltane Ree'. Over the last 7 years Alison has been sharing her love of the fiddle and Shetland's music traditions through teaching. She is very much looking forward to being part of Shetland Fiddle Week 2025.
Jenna is a renowned Shetland fiddler originally from from Quarff, Shetland. Taught by the late Willie Hunter she now plays professionally and has toured across the world and recorded and released many albums as a soloist and band member. Jenna is a prolific composer and has released five solo albums. Jenna is a member of award winning Scottish fiddle band Blazin’ Fiddles.
Robbie is from Lerwick, with family roots in Whiteness and Unst. His first instrument was a guitar, from Santa, but his principal instrument while at school was cello, enthusiastically taught by Mrs Merle Ingram.
Robbie left Shetland to study Chemical Engineering at Edinburgh University and during his time south developed an interest in t
Robbie is from Lerwick, with family roots in Whiteness and Unst. His first instrument was a guitar, from Santa, but his principal instrument while at school was cello, enthusiastically taught by Mrs Merle Ingram.
Robbie left Shetland to study Chemical Engineering at Edinburgh University and during his time south developed an interest in traditional music and finger style guitar.
After graduation, returning to work back home gave Robbie an opportunity to reacquaint himself with Shetland’s traditional music.
Following a move to Aberdeen to develop his engineering career, he took fiddle lessons with West Coast player, Jean Ann Callender and began writing his own compositions.
Robbie played fiddle in Hogtie, an Aberdeen-based ceilidh band, for a number of years, is guitarist in the quartet Corran Raa, playing mainly self-composed music, and collaborates in a duo with Shetland fiddler and songwriter Claire White focusing on new and traditional Shetland music and songs.
Shetland Fiddle Week LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in Scotland.
Registered number: SO307901
Registered address: Norton House, Glencaple. DG1 4RA.