The Folk Weekender

Thursday 5 Sunday 8 July This summer, Shetland Arts is celebrating folk and traditional music at The Folk Weekender – a four-day festival from Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th July of sessions, gigs, workshops and more at Mareel.

Kevin Henderson will be joined by Kris Drever and Laura–Beth Salter, alongside local musicians Maurice Henderson and Margaret Robertson and more to be announced, to play, learn and share all things folk.

Mareel • 01595 745500 • www.shetlandarts.org

Thursday 5 July OPENING SESSION

Mareel Café Bar, 8pm  Free Kick-off our long weekend of sharing folk and trad music with a session hosted by Kevin Henderson, Kris Drever and Laura-Beth Salter in the Mareel Café Bar - 8 til late!

Friday 6 July WORKSHOP - MANDOLIN (Beginner/Intermediate) Mareel Green Room, 11am - 1pm  £15 / £10 Come along and learn some fun tunes from America, Scotland and beyond with Laura-Beth. As well as learning new tunes, you’ll also spend some time on technique, chords and rhythm.

Tunes will be taught by ear but sheet music and tab will be provided on the day for those who need it. The repertoire will be different in each of the Mandolin classes, and participants are very welcome to attend both workshops.

WORKSHOP - FIDDLE TUNES & TECHNIQUE WITH KEVIN

Mareel Green Room, 2pm - 4pm  £15 / £10 Kevin will look at traditional and contemporary fiddle music from both Shetland and beyond as well as sharing tips on technique and playing in general.

THE GROOVE IS NOT TRIVIAL (PG) +Q&A Mareel Screen 1, 5pm  £9 / £7.50

The irrepressible Fraser proves that the groove in traditional music transcends toe-tapping fun – it can also be a source of personal and political liberation. We are delighted that Alasdair Fraser will join us via Skype for a Q&A following the screening.

IN SEARCH OF WILLAFJORD

Mareel Auditorium, 7.30pm  £15 Maurice Henderson (Fiddler’s Bid, Haltadans) shares his experiences travelling through Greenland to find the source of the ever-popular fiddle tune Willafjord. From finding archive footage of Greenland whalers sharing tunes to impromptu sessions with local dancers in the midnight sun, Maurice’s journey is full of adventures and entertaining stories.

Saturday 7 July WORKSHOP - ARRANGING FOR TRAD WITH MARGARET

Mareel Green Room, 9.30am - 11.30am  £15 / £10 Margaret Robertson (Hjaltibonhoga) shares how she has so successfully arranged traditional tunes with a more modern approach. An interactive workshop for intermediate to advanced players of all instruments.

WORKSHOP - COLLABORATION WITH KEVIN & KRIS

Mareel Green Room, 12pm - 4pm  £30 A unique workshop designed to create opportunities to experiment with the arrangement process, led by Kris and Kevin. The ensemble class will take tunes and work together to create a piece for Kris and Kevin to perform at the Big Gig later the same day! Open to any instrument.

THE FOLK WEEKENDER

Mareel Auditorium, 7.30pm  £20 Join us at The Folk Weekender Big Gig on Saturday 7th July to see Kevin, Kris and Laura-Beth in action on stage at Mareel.

Sunday 8 July WORKSHOP - AMPLIFYING ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS WITH TIM

Mareel Recording Studio, 9.30am - 11.30am  £15 / £10 Tim Matthew explains the basics of amplifying acoustic instruments, working with a range of techniques for stage and recording. Also includes an introduction to studio and home recording.

WORKSHOP - MANDOLIN (Intermediate/Advanced) Mareel Green Room, 11.30am - 1.30pm  £15 / £10 Come along and learn some fun tunes from America, Scotland and beyond with Laura-Beth. As well as learning new tunes, you’ll also spend some time on technique, chords and rhythm. Tunes will be taught by ear but sheet music and tab will be provided on the day for those who need it. The repertoire will be different in each of the Mandolin classes, and participants are very welcome to attend both workshops.

PANEL DISCUSSION: WHY THE FOLK?

Mareel Auditorium, 2pm - 3.30pm  £10 Kevin, Kris and Laura-Beth (with other musicians to be confirmed) share their experiences of playing sessions to playing gigs worldwide. From rural roots to professional musicians, they discuss the routes that players can progress along.

FAMILY FRIENDLY SESSION

Mareel Café Bar, 4pm - 6pm  Free Join Kevin, Kris and Laura-Beth for a family and emerging players session in Mareel’s Café Bar, co-hosted by the Shetland Trad Sessions Group.

* Concession prices for students & under 16’s

One of Shetland’s finest fiddle players, KEVIN HENDERSON is a founding member of Fiddlers’ Bid and Nordic Fiddler’s Bloc, as well playing with Boys of the Lough and Session A9. Kevin has taught at festivals and camps in the US and Germany and has toured extensively throughout the world.

Orcadian KRIS DREVER is a founding member of the renowned folk trio Lau and an awardwinning singer and song-writer. As well as touring his solo material, Kris has projects with with Boo Hewerdine, Roddy Woomble and John McCusker and has worked with Eddi Reader and Julie Fowlis amongst others.

LAURA-BETH SALTER is a founding member of renowned folk band The Shee and was nominated for the MG Alba Composer of the year award in 2013.

She is an active tutor of mandolin and although heavily rooted in American traditional music, LauraBeth works on a range of projects in the Scottish traditional music scene and also plays with Ali Hutton, Jenn Butterworth & The Kinnaris Quintet.

TIM MATTHEW’s work as a sound engineer has seen him not only manage a successful studio but regularly tour with bands such as Lau, Laura Veirs, Peatbog Faeries and Salsa Celtica.

A musician in his own right, Tim performs with both Mystery Juice and Lord Rochester.

Recently inducted to the Traditional Music Hall of Fame, Shetlander MARGARET ROBERTSON is an accomplished composer, arranger and musician, with an established career teaching and performing - most recently travelling worldwide as part of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo with Hjaltibonhoga.

A founding member of Fiddlers’ Bid, Halatadans and Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag, MAURICE HENDERSON’s passion and enthusiasm for Shetland tunes and local folklore make him an entertaining and enlightening story-teller as well as an inspiring musician.

Mareel • 01595 745500 • www.shetlandarts.org