The University of Aberdeen will next week (Monday, September 29), be launching an exciting new web resource covering the life, music and dance of James Scott Skinner the 'Strathspey King', who was a key figure in Scottish traditional music.
About 200 people, including groups from several North-east schools, will attend the launch to be held in Elphinstone Hall where they will be treated to a tour of the website, opportunities to listen to Skinner's music, watch dances as he taught them, and the chance to try some dances for themselves.
Dr Alan Knox, Manager, Historic Collections, University of Aberdeen, is looking forward to launching The Music of James Scott Skinner website. He said: "James Scott Skinner was, and still is, such an influential figure in terms of Scottish traditional music. I am delighted to have been involved in working on the web resource. Although he died more than 75 years ago, Skinner is still an inspiration to young and old alike, worldwide. The website is a fitting tribute to such a remarkable man.
"The core of the web resource is a searchable database of several hundred images of music, letters, photographs, articles and other documents, with essays and commentaries putting them all in context. This resource is aimed at anyone interested in Skinner, Scottish dance, Scottish fiddle music, Scottish traditional music and its history and the North-east of Scotland, and will greatly assist research into traditional music, and teaching in these areas.
"A key feature of the web resource is the inclusion of video clips of dances as Skinner taught them. For 30 years he was an extremely successful dance teacher, teaching all over the north of Scotland. We have recreated the dances he describes in his manual, The People's Ball Room Guide, and they can be viewed on the resource. We have also included eighty audio examples of Skinner's own playing. He was one of the very first recording artistes in Scotland and his recordings had a worldwide market."
Skinner took the art of fiddle music to new heights through his playing and compositions. He performed to huge audiences at the London Palladium and countless other venues. He was central to the development of Scottish music and an extremely successful dance teacher. His music has influenced composers throughout the world up to the present day.
Skinner was born in Banchory-Ternan, near Aberdeen, in 1843, the son of a gardener who also taught dance. After a musical apprenticeship in Manchester, he returned to Aberdeen and soon started his career as a professional dancing teacher and musician. He worked throughout the north of Scotland, including teaching at Queen Victoria's highland retreat at Balmoral, and toured widely. More than 600 of his compositions were eventually to be published. He died in 1927. Sir Harry Lauder unveiled his memorial in Allenvale Cemetery in Aberdeen.
The University's Historic Collections has strong holdings of Scottish music dating from the early 18th century. This includes Skinner's own manuscript version of The Harp and Claymore Collection, with pages often covered with Skinner's own notes and instructions. The published edition of the Collection shows how particular pieces of music evolved and changed. Examples of these can be seen on the website. In some cases, the music can be read and listened to at the same time. Dances in Skinner's dance manual can be read then watched on specially commissioned videos of dances performed as he taught them (filmed in Elphinstone Hall).
The website has been produced by the University's Historic Collections, in collaboration with colleagues in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Angus Councils, with funding from the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), under its NOF-digitise programme.
For more information on James Scott Skinner, and to view The Music of James Scott Skinner website, please visit: www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner