Impressed by Frenzy

On behalf of all the students on the recent 2010 Fiddle Frenzy week, I would like to thank everyone involved in its planning and execution.

Thanks to all the members of the Shetland Arts team who were magnificent, our inspiring and very patient tutors, our hosts at Cullivoe and Hillswick who drummed up delicious food for us on our “away days”, those who performed in the concerts and the bands who provided the dance music in the evenings.

As a (first-time) participant, it was fantastic not to have to think about anything very much apart from turning up at the right place at the right time (mostly) to catch buses, and attend workshops, rehearsals, and concerts.

The other brilliant aspect of it all was the course programme running in tandem with the mainstream fiddle and guitar ones, ie creative writing, visual arts, and textile workshops. These complementary sessions enabled non-instrument playing friends and partners to really be a part of it all during the day, as well as attending concerts and dances in the evenings. I do very much hope that these will become a standard feature of future Fiddle Frenzy weeks.

Once again, a big thank you to all concerned, and also to the many people we came across on our travels in Shetland, who never failed to be anything other than friendly, welcoming and helpful.

We look forward in eager anticipation to returning to the 2011 Fiddle Frenzy, in what will soon be its new home down on the waterfront, Mareel.

Di and Mike Jevons
Longframlington
(near Alnwick),
Northumberland