Accordion and fiddle club joins singer Sturgeon on Trad shortlist

Isles-based singer-songwriter Jenny Sturgeon and The Shetland Accordion & Fiddle club have been nominated for top national traditional music awards.

Sturgeon has been nominated for the composer of the year award, with the long-standing club in the running for the club of the year prize in the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.

Quarff fiddler Jenna Reid has also been shortlisted for album of the year with her band Blazin’ Fiddles.

The Shetland Accordion & Fiddle Club was formed in 1978 and meets fortnightly between September and March, as well as organising the annual Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival, now in its 31st year.

For Sturgeon, who hails from Aberdeenshire, it has been a busy year, releasing a new album with folk trio Salt House, touring with her trio, as well as launching Northern Flyway, pulling in birdsong, film, beatboxing and songwriting.

For the latter Sturgeon has been hitting the stage on tour with Inge Thomson, Sarah Hayes and Jason Singh to critical acclaim.

“It totally took me by surprise,” said Sturgeon following news of her making the shortlist.

“I would never have expected to get nominated for one of these things because I guess you do what you do because you enjoy it and you hope people enjoy listening. When things come up like this it’s really heartening.”

Collaborations with other musicians are something Sturgeon enjoys and continues to keep her energised in her creation of music.

Northern Flyway was a project she could get her teeth into, and Sturgeon said she enjoyed writing as part of a theme.

She is now working on a project based on writings about the Cairngorms by Nan Shepherd.

Shetland has also played a part in her work.

“The landscape and the weather is really inspiring,” she said.

“Usually when I get to be at home in Shetland is when I get time to work on these things… taking a big breath of fresh air and relaxing and that’s when it’s easiest to write.”

This year’s awards ceremony will take place in Perth on 1st December.

To vote go to https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Scotstrad2018. Voting closes on 23rd November.