Flying Fiddles

(November 2009) 14 tracks: Rhoda's Air / Tune For Senna * Tune For Rose / Winnie Hayes Jig / The Tables Have Turned * Dean Cadalan Samhach * Rachel & Christian's Wedding / Ninian's Dance / The Witness * Roderick MacDonald's Strathspey / Mrs Roberson of Greshornish / Coinneach Aig An Stiuir * Oldshoremore / Snoogles Jig / Oldshoremore * Dust * Donald Willie And His Dog / The Berneray Snipe / Jolly Calum * Cheers Lo * The Fiddleair * An t-Each Odhar * Crossing To Castlebay / Bill Livingstone's / Morrison's of Gerinish * Fenella's / The Miller Man / Ross House * Isla Rossa's / Heda / Ten Again / Ceapaval.

The Flying Fiddles are a group of young musicians from the Islands of Uist in the Outer Hebrides, off the West Coast of Scotland - Christina Campbell, Ealasaid Dick, Lachie Dick, Mairi Gilfedder, Amy MacAulay, Eilidh MacLeod and Kirsty MacMillan. The recording also features Fred Morrison, Kathleen MacInnes, Iain MacDonald, Allan Henderson, Seonaidh MacIntyre, Will Lamb, Alasdair MacDonald, Rona Lightfoot and members of Runrig - Rory MacDonald, Calum MacDonald, Malcolm Jones and Brian Hurren.

Members of the group are drawn from the local high school (Sgoil Lionacleit), are accompanied on bass and piano by music teachers Robert Gillies and Joanne Veverka, and directed by Anna Wendy Stevenson.

Flying Fiddles are fast gaining a strong reputation for their great tunes - both traditional and self-penned. Over the past few years they have performed at many high-profile events including the Celtic Colours festival in Cape Breton, Celtic Connections Festival, Martyn Bennett Night, Edinburgh Fiddle Festival and with Julie Fowlis on the BBC Alba Christmas Programme 2008.

Formed in 2000, the group was started and funded by local community group Gleus with fiddler Deirdre Morrison as their tutor. After a couple of years, the organisation Ceolas provided the ongoing commitment to fund their weekly tuition. Anna Wendy Stevenson, traditional music lecturer at Lews Castle College in Benbecula, took over the role of tutor in 2006 with the aim to share her passion for composing and arrangement, and to develop the group's identity and confidence, as young people from Uist writing music inspired by their own environment and experiences.

"Rarely have I had the pleasure of meeting and working with such a striking young group of musicians. Flying Fiddles are a product of excellent tuition, enthusiasm and sheer natural talent. I have watched them grow and improve in confidence over the space of a few short years, and am proud of their contribution to their island community. I wish them all the best with this, what will surely be only the first of many recordings." (Julie Fowlis)

"The most musical young group that I have seen" (John Murray, BBC Radio producer)