Bill-topping Fiddle Frenzy acts announced

Shetland Arts has announced the headline acts for Fiddle Frenzy 2012.

The week will kick off in style on Sunday 4th August with a performance by the Harris Playfair Big Band. This will be the culmination of six days of intensive workshops with young Shetland musicians led by Harris.

The Jenna Reid Band return to Fiddle Frenzy on Monday 5th August, highlighting material from Jenna’s acclaimed new CD Morning Moon. Last seen in Fiddle Frenzy performing Jenna and Bethany’s moving Shetland Bus suite, the line-up of Jenna, Bethany, Harris Playfair, James Thompson and Iain Sandilands is guaranteed to provide another memorable musical evening.

On Tuesday night Walls Hall will host the festival and be treated to the popular duo and top quality performances of Bryan Gear with Violet Tulloch. On Wednesday in Mareel, award-winning Maggie Adamson will headline with Brian Nicholson, and Ross Couper and Tom Oakes on fiddle and guitar will provide the high-energy highlights in Thursday night’s concert, also in Mareel.

The festival returns to the isles for Friday night when Corran Raa will start the weekend with a performance in Burravoe Hall, Yell, and award-winning Scottish group Blazin’ Fiddles will round off the week on Saturday night in Mareel.

The Festival Club will run from 10pm to 1am on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday nights at Mareel. There will also be post-concert dances on Sunday in Mareel, Tuesday in Walls and Friday in Burravoe.

Last month Shetland Arts announced the tutors for Fiddle Frenzy. This year they will include sisters Jenna and Bethany Reid, alongside Angela Fraser, Pauleen Wiseman, Lois Nicol, Cathy Geldard, Helen Whitham and Ross Couper. This year’s guitar tutor is John Hutchison. Jenny Bradley will be teaching knitting and Amy Fisher will once again be tutoring eager students in drawing and painting.

Marketing officer Lisa Ward said: “We’re very pleased to be announcing the headliners for this year’s Fiddle Frenzy. The line-up is fantastic and I’m sure students and those attending the concerts will really enjoy the performances from these talented musicians.”