Shetland Fiddle Week 2025 was kindly supported by
Shetland Amenity Trust
Shetland Amenity Trust provides generous in-kind support to Shetland Fiddle Week by offering use of the iconic Shetland Museum & Archives building for our opening day.
Shetland Musical Heritage Trust is a charity established in 1986 for "the preservation and development for the public benefit of all aspects of the musical heritage of the Shetland Islands." SMHT kindly sponsors places for winners for Shetland's Young Fiddler of the Year competition to join classes at Shetland Fiddle Week.
Tutors at Shetland Fiddle Week 2024
Kirsten Hendry (Fiddle)
Alison Anderson (Fiddle)
Kirsten Hendry (Fiddle)
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 (Fiddle)
Alison Anderson (Fiddle)
Kirsten Hendry (Fiddle)
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.
Alison Anderson (Fiddle)
Alison Anderson (Fiddle)
Jenna Reid (Fiddle / Ensemble)
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 Reid (Fiddle / Ensemble)
Robbie Leask (Mixed Instrument)
Jenna Reid (Fiddle / Ensemble)
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 Leask (Mixed Instrument)
Robbie Leask (Mixed Instrument)
Robbie Leask (Mixed Instrument)
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.