A major international fiddle convention, which will focus on traditional fiddling, exploring its past and future, will take place in Aberdeen in July.
The North Atlantic Fiddle Convention (NAFCo), organised by the University of Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute, will feature musicians from countries bordering the northern seas and is open to anyone interested.
There will be a conference on the theme of Crossing Boundaries with enthusiasts and researchers presenting papers, as well as a festival, including workshops (fiddle and dance), demonstrations, concerts (Lemon Tree, Music Hall, Woodend Barn), ceilidhs, informal music sessions, and busking, all happening at various venues around the city.
To launch NAFCo, the Institute is holding a Busking Trail in Aberdeen City Centre this Wednesday (May 23) with a group of North-East fiddlers:
11.00 Aberdeen Art Gallery
11.30 The Academy, Schoolhill.
12.00-13.00 St Nicholas Street (outside M&S)
Dr Ian Russell, Director of the Elphinstone Institute, said: “Aberdeen is at the centre of a wonderful fiddle tradition and the fiddle is dear to the city's heart. That’s why the Convention is happening here. It is a first and I know it will be an extraordinary international celebration, full of richness and diversity. The city will be alive with fiddle music.’
The North Atlantic Fiddle Convention, 21-29 July 2001/Page 2
Festival Artists include:
Sweden - Göran Premberg, Karin Eriksson, Ingegerd Sigfridsson, Mats Nilsson
Cape Breton - Carl Mackenzie, Mary Janet MacDonald, Janine Randall
Shetland - the Cullivoe Fiddlers, Trevor Hunter
USA - Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser
Ireland - Liz Doherty, Johnny McCarthy, John Carty, Connie O’Connell
Norway - Håkon Asheim, Ase Teigland, Håken Högemo, Frank Rolland, Øyvind Vabø
Scotland and elsewhere - Bert Murray, Mats Melin, Jean-Ann Callender, Carmen Higgins, Karen Steven, Pete MacCallum, Paul Anderson, James Alexander, Carol Anderson, Eugenio Giuliani, Alessandro Barberis, Paul Burgess, Gina Le Faux, Johnny Adams, Paul Roberts, Hallyrackit & Lorna Maclaren, Gizzen Briggs, and many more.
The keynote speakers are Burt Feintuch, Professor of Folklore and English, University of New Hampshire, USA; Jan-Petter Blom, Emeritus Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Bergen, Norway; Alasdair Fraser, Director, Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddling School, USA, and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Professor of Music, Director of the Irish World Music Centre, University of Limerick, Ireland.
For further information contact Alison Ramsay on (01224) 273778, or Angela Begg on (01224) 272960.
NAFCo, The Elphinstone Institute, 24 High Street, Aberdeen AB24 3EB
Tel: +44 (0)1224 272996, Fax: +44 (0)1224 272728, E-mail: elphinstone@abdn.ac.uk
website: www.abdn.ac.uk/Elphinstone/
Issued by Public Relations Office, External Relations, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen, telephone: 01224 272014, fax: 01224 272086.
University Press Office on telephone +44 (0)1224-273778 or email a.ramsay@admin.abdn.ac.uk.