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Alastair Savage

Alastair Savage

some spectacular fireworks with a feel for sweet melancholy.

Jim Gilchrist, Scotsman

a must for aficionados, a primer for anyone with a notional interest in Scottish traditional music.

Keith Bruce, Herald

Traditional Music

Instrumentation

  • Alastair Savage - Fiddle/Violin

Repertoire

Music from traditional Scots fiddle repertoire featuring classic 18th century melodies by Niel Gow and William Marshall alongside 19th century music by virtuoso fiddler James Scott Skinner. Contemporary melodies written and arranged by Alastair and his fellow performers as well as melodies from Ireland and bluegrass music from North America. Copies of CD recordings including the new 2022 album release 'Tunes From The River' alongside 'When Barley Reaches Shore' (2018) and the unaccompanied fiddle album 'Alone With History' (2016) available on request for all interested promoters.

Biography

A classically trained player who performs a diverse range of music and specialises in Scottish traditional fiddle. Alastair won the 'Land O' Burns' Scots fiddle competition in 1986 and has subsequently performed classical and traditional music throughout his life to critical acclaim. A member of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra since 1997, his solo traditional work sees him accompanied by a variety of instrumentalists. Over the past two decades he has recorded six albums combining a mixture of original compositions with Scots fiddle classics from centuries past, including an unaccompanied fiddle recording made at Crathie Kirk in Royal Deeside featuring the music of James Scott Skinner, Niel Gow and a tribute to Robert Burns. Music from his earliest albums have appeared on BBC Alba as background for their documentaries and 2022 saw the release of a brand new album entitled 'Tunes From The River' including original compositions recorded in live and studio settings over the past six years. He was shortlisted at the 2021 Scottish New Music Awards for his composition 'Down The Line' written during lockdown and performed alongside Charlotte Ashton, one of Britain's leading flautists. Alastair has broadcast live as soloist on BBC Radio 3 and Radio Scotland as well as performing on national radio in the USA. Past performances include concerts at the St. Magnus Festival in Orkney, Edinburgh Fringe, Glasgow West End Festival, Loch Shiel Festival, Edinburgh Scots Fiddle Festival, and the Niel Gow Festival.

Recent accompanying players include the outstanding cellist Alice Allen from Aberdeenshire, versatile pianist Gregor Blamey, multi-instrumentalist Ewan Robertson on whistle/flute and his continued work alongside long time collaborators Iain Crawford on double bass and Euan Drysdale on guitar/piano.The ensemble size is adaptable depending on repertoire choice and budget limits of individual venues. 2023 includes a unique series of concerts at the Edinburgh Festival celebrating Alastair's 50th birthday featuring his wide ranging collaborations including performances with Orcadian pianist Laurence Wilson followed by a Robert Burns tribute alongside legendary actor John Shedden.

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