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Alastair Savage
some spectacular fireworks with a feel for sweet melancholy.
a must for aficionados, a primer for anyone with a notional interest in Scottish traditional music.
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 album release 'Where The Good Ship Lands' (2024) 'Tunes From The River' (2022) 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 seven albums combining a mixture of original compositions with Scots fiddle classics from centuries past, including a universally celebrated 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. His most recent release, the 2024 double album 'Where The Good Ship Lands' was recorded as a duo with outstanding cellist Alice Allen and further explores classics from centuries past alongside his own unique compositions alongside melodies from Ireland and America. Music from his earliest albums have appeared on BBC Alba as background for their documentaries and 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, Westfest, Loch Shiel Festival, Edinburgh Scots Fiddle Festival, and the Niel Gow Festival.
Recent accompanying players include the already mentioned star cellist Alice Allen from Aberdeenshire, versatile pianist and accordion supremo Gregor Blamey from Fife, Chris Gibb (border pipes), Bronte Hudnott (flute) and his continued work alongside long time collaborators Iain Crawford (double bass) and Euan Drysdale (guitar/piano).The ensemble size is adaptable depending on repertoire choice and budget limits of individual venues. 2024 includes a unique series of concerts at the Edinburgh Festival including a fascinating insight into the Scottish fiddle tradition with a specially written script by Alastair performed by legendary actor John Shedden entitled 'The Scottish Fiddle Story'. This music and script may be of interest to specific promoters to be included as the whole or part of a booked performance.
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