Chris Stout’s Run North

 

Shetland’s own Chris Stout is widely regarded as the finest fiddle player of his generation.

 

Chris lived on Fair Isle until he was eight years of age before moving to the Shetland mainland. He studied classical and traditional music and in 1990 won two major Shetland competitions - “Young Musician of the Year” and ‘Young Fiddler of The Year’. 

 

He went on to study in Glasgow at the Douglas Academy of Music and then at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, graduating with a degree in classical violin.  He continued to study, focusing on electro-acoustic music; one composition combined traditional Shetland music with bird song.

 

He is probably best know as a member of Fiddler’s Bid, and in duo format with Catriona McKay (Scottish harp and keyboards), while more recently leading his own exciting Quintet and appearing as a solo artist in his own right.

 

Over and above this, he has appeared with groups as diverse as Salsa Celtica, the Finlay MacDonald band, John Rae’s Celtic Feet, Colin Steele’s Stramash and the Graham Stephens Sextet, to name but a few. 

 

There have been many other collaborations along the way, including Orquestra Scotland Brasil, work with Susanne Lundeng of Norway and the performance, with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, of his commissioned work, ‘Dynröst’ at the 2007 Celtic Connections festival.

 

Chris has become known for blending a variety of styles and influences into his work without ever losing touch with his Shetland roots.

 

For this ‘homecoming’ visit he is joined by a number of hugely talented and exciting musicians including Catriona McKay (Scottish harp and keyboards) Ian Stephenson (guitar) Neil Harland (double bass) and from Brazil, special guest Thomas Rohrer on saxophone.

 

Prepare to be musically overwhelmed!