Fiddle Frenzy 2014, Shetland Arts’ annual week of workshops and events celebrating the Shetland fiddle tradition running from 3 – 10 August, will once again be curated by sisters Jenna & Bethany Reid.
Jenna is one of Shetland’s leading exponents of the local fiddle tradition, and has played professionally since graduating with a BA in Traditional Scottish Music from The Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow. She has toured with many bands and is a member of Blazin Fiddles.
Bethany has also played from a young age, being the youngest ever to win Shetland’s coveted Shetland Young Fiddler of the Year award. Graduating in 2008 with a BA in Applied Music, Bethany currently teaches music at St Ninians High School in Glasgow.
Together, Jenna and Bethany Reid have played for many years, most notably with Shetland fiddle quartet Filska and in Jenna’s solo oufit The Jenna Reid Band. Their most recent collaboration saw the release of their self penned album ‘Escape’ in 2010, which commemorated the story of Norwegian Soldier Jan Baalsrud and his survival during the World War two operations know as the Shetland Bus.
Jenna said: “We are both really excited to be invited to return as curators at Fiddle Frenzy. It was fantastic to work so closely with Shetland Arts in presenting the week long fiddle school in 2013 and wonderful to welcome so many great musicians and tutors to join us. We look forward to welcoming you back to Shetland in 2014 to enjoy another Fiddle Frenzy and learn from some of the islands finest fiddlers!"
Jenna Reid
Gwilym Gibbons, Director of Shetland Arts said: “Shetland Arts is delighted to welcome Jenna and Bethany Reid back to Shetland to work with our team to create a programme for Fiddle Frenzy 2014.”Some of the tutors already signed up for Fiddle Frenzy 2014 include Jenna and Bethany themselves, plus Ross Couper, Kevin Henderson, Lois Nicol, and Jenny Napier.
Packages for Fiddle Frenzy 2014 will go on sale on Saturday 1 February via Shetland Box Office in Mareel & Islesburgh, over the phone on 01595 745 555, and online at shetlandboxoffice.org and mareel.org.
