FifeSing2008
Full programme now below!!

[At the Fife Traditional Singing Weekend 2003]

Here are the full programme details. You can also download a pdf file of the brochure. The printed brochure will be sent out with the March TMSA News Letter and we will also send to our usual mailing list. The page below includes useful links for accommodation websites and artist websites.

Listen Now:
Songs recorded live at the last FifeSing Weekend in May 2007.
If you have broadband and Quicktime Player it will be easy!
PLAY mp3s.

Click to download (pdf file): FifeSing Brochure
If you would like the two pages as separate files: Brochure page 1 and page 2

Guest Singers

We welcome again Elizabeth Stewart from Mintlaw many of whose songs came to her from her family the Fetterangus Stewarts [but see Late News/ Changes below]. For a first visit to our event we are pleased to welcome Brian Watson from Prudhoe in Northumberland - renowned for his rich repertoire of Geordie, Tyneside and Northumbrian song. Sara Grey originally from the USA and now living in Perth will bring her extensive repertoire of ballads and songs - many accompanied on 5-string banjo. The fine young singer Shona Donaldson from Huntly will join us for the day on Saturday. For a first time as guests we welcome Ellen Mitchell from Glasgow and Jimmy Hutchison from Newburgh. We will also be joined as usual by Ron Bissett the well known local bothy ballad singer from Falkland. Alex Clarke from Dundee, whose songs were received with great acclaim last year, joins us for the first time as a guest. We are also very pleased that the great North-east singer Jock Duncan from Pitlochry will join us for the day on Saturday.

[NOTE: Click the links in this paragraph to find more about each singer].

All guests Friday to Sunday unless stated.

Workshops/Talks:

Saturday Morning ~ Sara Grey and Tom Spiers: The migration of ballads from Scotland to North America. Maurice Fleming: Discovery of the Stewarts of Blair, Mary Brooksbank of Dundee and folklore of Perthshire.
Sunday Morning ~ Rod Stradling: Publishing field recordings of traditional song from Scotland and the Appalachians. Alex Clarke: A Dundee life - the Hilltown, the jute mills, daft songs, Will Fyffe, Scottish dance, B&Q and the butcher’s shop, McGonnagall and his granny Clarke’s memories of the fall of the Tay Bridge.

[NOTE: Click the links in above paragraphs to find more about each artiste]

Late News/ Changes:

Unfortunately Elizabeth Stewart has been unwell. She is expecting to be in hospital for an operation in early May and almost certainly will not be able to join us this year. We wish her all the best for a speedy recovery. We are very pleased that Sara Grey will now join us as a guest for the whole weekend.

The Place:

The Fife Animal Park
The Fife Animal Park is on the B937 between Collessie and Ladybank on the left about half a mile south from the A91/B937 crossroads. There are good train services from Dundee or Edinburgh to Ladybank station. Taxi (tel: 01337 828630 or 828214) from Ladybank to Collessie (4 miles).

Restaurant: Food and Bar Facilities
Food will be available throughout the weekend between events - from Friday at 6.00pm and for Breakfast and Lunch (Saturday & Sunday) and Evening meal (Saturday). Full bar facilities at all events.

On-site Accommodation
The Fife Animal Park has a paddock for free camping and caravans with on-site toilet facilities. Let us know at the time of booking if you plan to bring a caravan.

Hotel and B&B Accommodation
Freuchie (3 miles): Lomond Hills Hotel tel: 01337 857329 www.lomondhillshotel.com and Ochil Villa B&B tel: 01337 858031 www.ochilvilla.co.uk Lindores (2 miles): Woodmill Country House tel: 01337 810494 www.woodmillhouse.co.uk Falkland (5 miles): Ladywell House B&B tel: 01337 858414 www.ladywellhousefife.co.uk Newton of Falkland (4 miles): Kiln House B&B tel: 01337 857188 www.astayinfife.co.uk/kilnhouse.htm

The Programme:

Friday 16th May
Evening Concert: 8.00pm - 10.30pm
The opening concert with songs and ballads from the guest artistes and participants.
Singaround: 10.30pm - 12.30am
An opportunity for all to join in a singaround with songs from their own repertoire.

Saturday 17th May
Illustrated Talk: 10.00am - 11.00am
Sara Grey and Tom Spiers: The migration of ballads from Scotland to North America.
Reminiscences: 11.30am - 12.30pm
Maurice Fleming: Discovery of the Stewarts of Blair, Mary Brooksbank of Dundee and folklore of Perthshire.
Ballad Concert: 2.00pm - 5.00pm
The guests and participants with traditional ballads from their repertoire. The classic big ballads - the muckle sangs.
Evening Concert: 7.30pm - 10.30pm
Songs from near and far: Guest artistes present their song and ballad traditions.
Singaround: 10.30pm - 12.30am
Another chance for all to join in a singaround with songs from their own repertoire.

Sunday 18th May
Illustrated Talk: 10.30am - 11.30am
Rod Stradling: Publishing field recordings of traditional song from Scotland and the Appalachians.
Reminiscences: 11.45am - 12.45pm
Alex Clarke: A Dundee life - the Hilltown, the jute mills, daft songs, Will Fyffe, Scottish dance, B&Q and the butcher’s shop, McGonnagall and his granny Clarke’s memories of the fall of the Tay Bridge.
Farewell Session: 2.00pm - 5.00pm
The guest artistes lead a farewell concert and singaround with songs from all who still have a good song to sing and a voice left to sing it!

Thanks:

We wish to give enormous thanks to all the singers who have given free use of their recordings to the East of Scotland Traditional Song Group. All money raised from the sale of these CDs goes to the Group and this enables us to run the FifeSing events without asking for funds from Fife Council or the Scottish Arts Council.

Guest Singers:

Elizabeth Stewart from Mintlaw has been singing the old songs and ballads since childhood, inheriting a rich traditional repertoire from her family, the Fetterangus Stewarts - in particular from her aunt Lucy Stewart who became widely recognised after the release of recordings of her singing made in 1960 by the American collector Kenneth Goldstein. She is recognised as one of Scotland's finest traditional singers and her recently issued double CD Binnorrie: Songs, Ballads and Tunes issued by the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen EICD002 captures some fine singing from her extensive repertoire. More info LINK

Brian Watson was born in the 1930s into a Northumbrian musical family - his mother played piano, zither and mandolin and his father was a Burns enthusiast who also sang songs by the famous Co Durham pitman poet Tommy Armstrong. After his family returned home after several years in Australia and New Zealand he started singing at his local folk club in Prudhoe. His place in the folk tradition was recognised when he entered and won the singing competition at the annual Morpeth Gathering in the early 1970s. He has recorded several CDs including Where Ivvor heh thi gone? made with the assistance of several noted Tyneside musicians including Colin Ross and Johnny Handle. More info LINK

Sara Grey is suberb exponent of the old time ballads - a singer of great strength with a fine understanding the art of ballad singing. Her lovely voice alone makes her one of the most popular singers on the folk scene and, on many of her songs, Sara accompanies herself on five string banjo. Originally from the USA but now living on Perth, she tours throughout Europe and often returns to America to take part in festivals. More info LINK

Shona Donaldson is one of Scotland’s leading young tradition bearers. She grew up in Huntly surrounded by music and dancing in the heart of North-east Scotland’s bothy ballad country. Shona’s mother was always singing to her as she was growing up. Her father plays the pipes, her sister plays piano. While still at school, she joined the Strathbogie Junior Fiddlers and took part in fiddle competitions at local traditional festivals including Keith and Strichen. Hearing the great bothy ballad singers Jock Duncan and Geordie Murison at these festivals inspired Shona to start singing. More info LINK

Ellen Mitchell was born in Glasgow. Although there was music in her family - she remembers a great aunt rattling out tunes on her granny’s piano, her father’s enthusiasm for classical music and jazz and an uncle who was in a skiffle group - it was the discovery of folk clubs and festivals that gave her an enthusiasm for traditional song. She has recorded for the Musical Traditions label (in a double CD along with her husband Kevin) and has been a guest at several festivals including Whitby and Auchtermuchty. More info LINK

Jimmy Hutchison is originally from South Uist - his mother a Gaelic speaker, his father from Glasgow. Jimmy has been singing traditional songs for many years. In the 1960s he was involved in the St Andrews folk club and the early years of the Blairgowrie Festival and became a great admirer of Jeannie Robertson, the Stewarts of Blair and old Davie Stewart. Jimmy now lives in Newburgh where he runs a joinery business. More info LINK

Ron Bissett of Falkland took his first job at Letham in 1950 - driving a pair of horse and living in the bothy. He learned some songs in the bothy and others from his mother and he was a member of the Fife Yokels bothy group when they competed in the Grampian TV Bothy Nichts in the 1960s.

Jock Duncan was brought up in the ballad-rich farming country around New Deer and Fyvie in Aberdeenshire where he developed his love of traditional balladry and music. His place as one of Scotland’s foremost traditional singers was recognised in December 2006 when he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. More info LINK

Alex Clarke was brought up in a tenement just off Dundee’s Hilltown - hence his signature song - We’re the lads fae the tap the hill. His mother was a weaver in the jute mills as was his granny, his father an engineer. As a boy he started out singing Harry Lauder songs and was soon singing in concert parties. He was taught Highland dancing as a boy and later took up Scottish dancing forming his own troupe for shows with Robert Wilson and Andy Stewart and appearing with the White Heather Club. His granny Clarke was a source of songs and old stories of Dundee, of McGonnagall and the fall of the Tay Bridge. He was first discovered by Maurice Fleming in the 1950s and was later recorded on the Coorse and Fine LP of Dundee songs on Springthyme in 1985.

Workshops by:

Sara Grey & Tom Spiers: Sara grew up in New Hampshire but has lived in many parts of the United States and has spent many of the last 30 years on this side of the water now living near Perth. As a youngster in North Carolina she first heard a lot of mountain music and her love for the old time banjo and Appalachian songs developed from this experience. For the last several years she has been tracing the migration of songs from the British Isles to North America and this is the basis of her workshop with Tom. More info LINK

Maurice Fleming belongs to Blairgowrie and was for many years editor of the Scots Magazine. A suggestion by Hamish Henderson in the 1950s that Maurice should go out and find traveller singers during the annual berrypicking and look for the song The Berryfield’s o Blair led him to the Stewart family door and the discovery of the Stewarts of Blair. He was on the committee of the first Blairgowrie Festival in 1966 that led to the founding of the TMSA. Maurice also recorded a number of Dundee singers including Mary Brooksbank and he is author of several books of local history and folklore. More info LINK

Rod Stradling has been involved in folk music for many years, a one-time organiser of the King’s Head Folk Club in Islington, a melodeon player and founder of the Old Swan Band in the 1970s and member of several other influential bands - the English Country Blues Band and latterly the English Country Dance Band. However, it is for his enthusiasm for traditional song and his productions of numerous CD compilations under the Stroud based Musical Traditions banner that we welcome him to Collessie. More info LINK

Hosted by:

Shepheard, Spiers & Watson: The singing weekend is organised and hosted by a committee of Peter Shepheard, Tom Spiers and Arthur Watson who also sing together as Shepheard, Spiers & Watson. All three are enthusiasts for traditional song. Pete is a singer, musician and folk song collector and runs the Scottish music label Springthyme from his home in Balmalcolm. Tom, who has recently moved to Aberdeenshire, sings and plays fiddle and was for many years a member of the Aberdeen based group The Gaugers. Arthur sings and plays whistle, was also in The Gaugers, founded the renowned Peacock Print Makers in Aberdeen and is now Senior Lecturer in Fine Art at the University of Dundee. Their CD They Smiled as We Cam In received critical acclaim - yet to be matched by sales!

FifeSing CDs

The FifeSing events are run by
The East of Scotland Traditional Song Group
Contact us at:
Peter Shepheard, Balmalcolm House, Balmalcolm, Cupar, Fife KY15 7TJ
tel: 00 44 (0)1337 830773
email: peter shepheard