ABOUT

Blyde Lasses (‘glad girls’ in Shetland dialect) have been captivating audiences across the world since they first started performing together in 2006. Their performances are as rich in stories as they are in music, and their music and songs give an intriguing glimpse into Shetland’s aert-kent musical tradition. Over the past few years Blyde Lasses have toured in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, Norway, Estonia and the UAE. In April 2013, after countless requests for recordings, they released their acclaimed debut album of traditional, contemporary and self-penned Shetland songs and tunes.

 

Claire White

I’ve been playing the fiddle since I was eight and learned most of what I know from the late Dr Tom Anderson, an awe-inspiring teacher.  Through him I joined my first musical family, Shetland’s Young Heritage, with whom I grew up and travelled worldwide enjoying musical adventures.  So began an ongoing, serendipitous journey of sessions, fiddle lessons, ceilidh bands and concerts. Songwriting and singing are recent pursuits, inspired by my love of stories and a desire to weave more words into Shetland’s living musical tradition. Read about my latest creations here.

Frances Wilkins

Frances Wilkins is internationally recognised as a leading exponent of the English concertina. She took up concertina while immersed in the rich musical culture of Shetland in the 1990s and within a year she was touring professionally and playing regularly with some of Shetland’s greatest fiddle players. Through her work both as a performer and ethnomusicologist she has collected a number of traditional tunes and regularly delves into the archives to find fresh material for Blyde Lasses to perform.

‘Thoroughly Refreshing’

 Aberdeen Art Gallery