The Assembly Rooms, George Street , Edinburgh

Friday 13 November to Sunday 15 November

The main headlines are:

A big welcome to Aly Bain (first appearance at this event!) and Ale Möller

Volunteer-run Festival still going strong in its 13th year

Two major concerts in the Music Hall

Cape Breton / Scottish dance fusion event

Boisterous ceilidhs under the chandeliers of the best Ballroom in town

Recitals, workshops, cabaret, open stage, sessions, fiddle walk, talks and much more

Performers and music from all over Scotland (Shetland, Orkney, West Highland, Speyside, Perthshire and Edinburgh ), and beyond: Nova Scotia , Sweden , Ireland , the Balkans, and Norway

The Youth Gaitherin’ : a full programme of events for children and young people

Check out our newly renovated website for the full programme: http://www.scotsfiddlefestival.com

Fiddle 2009 performers include:

Aly Bain and Ale Möller,
Session A9,
Beolach,
Dannsa,
Iain MacFarlane and the Henderson Family,
Aonghas and Angus Grant,
Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh,
Greg Lawson and Phil Alexander,
Maggie Adamson & Brian Nicholson,
Pete Clark,
Ceilidh Minogue,
Paul Anderson,
Boreas,
Skelpaig,
Gizzen Briggs,
Ryan Young,
The Highfield Band,
Tyskie,
Mike Vass,
James Ross,
Anna Massie,
Lauren MacColl,
Simon Thoumire,
Clare McLaughlin,
Adam Sutherland,
The Jani Lang Band.....etc!

There was a big enough band from there last year.... :-)

I can only hope as compensation, that there is plenty of room left for "the dancing" at the Session A9 gig on the Friday night. They've a lot to live up to after last year's shenanigans...!

However, I don't agree that you can simply judge a band's musical ability and worth simply by how many punters they can attract on to the dance floor.
I'm sure Session A9 will be very lively too, of course, but there's much more to them than that.

(My own opinions and not necessarily those of either EFC or Fiddle 2009)

www.scotsfiddlefestival.com

We have an island duo on Saturday from Shetland(Over and above Aly Bain). Congratulations and good luck to Scots Trad Award nominees Maggie Adamson and Brian Nicholson !!!!

Whoever suggested them for the festival knew what he was talking about.... Tee hee.

Sunday 15th November 2pm
East Drawing Rooms
Book Launch: The Chris Stout Collection Volume 1

Renowned Shetland fiddler Chris Stout celebrates the launch of 'The Chris Stout Collection Volume 1', his first book of original melodies. Chris has recorded these tunes over the years on various albums with supergroup Fiddlers' Bid, his own Quintet and with harpist Catriona McKay. The collection follows his journey as a musician and composer to date, and includes some insightful tales to accompany the melodies. Chris will be sharing a few of these stories, signing copies of the book and playing a selection of the tunes for you.

http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/Fiddle-festival-finds-a-champion.5791367.jp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNGxYnQT66g

Thankfully, I've lost almost two stone since my very brief appearance in that video!!!

The Boy Who Put the Butter on the Old Man's Bow

"When I first tried a tune on me faither's violin
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
All me folk were away on a summer sabbath day
When I skippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Gi'ed a twiddle tae the string and put the fiddle to me chin,
Wi' a mind tae keep the sabbath, sae I thought I'd try a hymn,
but I got an awful skreek, no' a doo a durn a diddle
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.

Noo the wee ginger cat dooket underneath the mat,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
And the dog raised his jowl and gi'ed such a fearful howl,
that he drownded ou' the scowling o' the old man's bow.
Then I tried to tak' me tempo frae the wag upon the wa',
but me sacky sounded awfae like the turkey in the straw,
So I tried another key, but the skreek was worse than ever,
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.

Noo I ken o'er weel hoo to cure a squeakin' wheel,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
And I'm thinkin', says I, that there's somethin' guid and dry,
So I dou't will meet to lubricate the old man's bow
By I hunted in the glory hole that's in below the stair,
In the box ahind the tractor, but there was no' any there.
Faith, I hunted a' the house, but the oil had been a'missing,
So I rubbed a bit o' butter on the old man's bow.

Gi'ed a twiddle tae the string, put the fiddle to me chin,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
But alas for me chin, ye c'ad heard a drappin' pin,
For there was no' e'en a whisper frae the old man's bow.
Why I worket at the fiddle like a joiner wi' a saw,
'til the clods o' Orkney butter fairly studded off the wa'
But I could no' get a dee or a doo a durn a diddle
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.

Then then kirk-folk cam' in and I smarted for me sin,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
For he played such a tune that I could no' set me down,
But was minded o' the butter on the old man's bow
Noo I'm finished wi' the fiddle, and theres no' the slightest doubt,
If I ever learn an instrument, it's going to be the flute
For when unco'n folk come by, and they mak the introductions
I'm the boy that put the butter on the old man's bow."

See: http://www.burnettviolins.co.uk/ for more info.