Borders Fiddle Group

The Borders Fiddle Group was originally started by Iain Fraser and Bill Muir in October 2000, to encourage local traditional music participation and appreciation. In October 2005 we became a formally registered charity (SC036861).

Our aim is to encourage other musicians - not just fiddle players - to join and benefit from group meetingsand performances. There are also plans to encourage participation in various annual music events, such as The Border Gaitherin' in Coldstream, Fiddle 2006 in Edinburgh and Hexham and Durham Folkworks Festivals.

We currently have a membership of over thirty and meet formally for tuition twice a month (usually on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month) on a Wednesday evening at 8pm, at either The Royal Hotel, Jedburgh or Smailholm Village Hall.

Aside from Iain Fraser, various other local, 'weel-kent' musicians currently associated with The BFG include Jimmy Nagle, (Chairman and tutor), Wattie Robson, Biddy Chamberlain and Jon Bews (RSAMD graduate, tutor and newly appointed Traditional and World Music Development Worker for Scottish Borders Council).

Shetland Fiddle group 1st aniversary

The Shetland Fiddle group has been meeting every third monday for a year now. We celebrated with a wonderful cake, huffsie and lots of tunes.

Birthday cake

Holiday Tour

Over the summer hols period, the sad members remaining amid this god-forsaken deluge, took the BFG "on tour" around other members' hooses to cheer themselves up. Thanks to everybody for their generous hospitality: Linda and Rankine at Smailholm Pottery; Lyle and Sally in Selkirk; Biddy, Tim and Steve in Bowden; Anne, Freya and Eryn in Lanton; Tony and Sue in Selkirk; Ben and Belinda in Stow; Martin and Marie in Selkirk and, of course Ian and Jo King who host the Shetland Fiddle Night once a month in Kirk Yetholm

Holidays!

Border Fiddle Group is on holiday for July and August and will officially resume in October. The Shetland fiddle group is still meeting however - see calendar for details

Stewart Hardy and Frank McLaughlin at Glendouglas Hall

Stewart and Frank

Those who made it along to the fiddle or guitar workshops on Saturday, 29th March at Glendouglas Hall taught by either Stewart Hardy or Frank McLaughlin, amid their Roots 2 tour, had a real treat in store with three hours of excellent and innovative tuition.

The duo followed this by performing a fantastic teatime concert – Stewart playing fiddle and Frank changing between guitar and pipes - which everybody enjoyed immensely. (Look out for their new CD, Root2, scheduled for release soon.)

Thanks guys – you were awesome and should you ever do something like this again, please keep us posted.

Other CDs available to buy after the concert included

• Compass, Stewart Hardy and Frank McLaughlin (4 track EP);
• A Poor Mans Labour, Mick West Band (CLCD042, Claytara Records);
• Out of the Wood, Frank McLaughlin and Gillian MacDonald (CLCD042, Claytara Records);
• Tods Assembly, Stewart Hardy (SYCD001)

all highly recommended and which can be purchased online from either www.cdbaby.com or by emailing Claytara.music@virgin.net

links to tunes:

9/8 hornpipes

The New Year's Gift

(See the gallery for more pictures)

Jimmy's Birthday

Jimmy Nagle's birthday card