Shetland-Music.com

The 2011 annual Shetland Blues Festival will be taking place over the forthcoming weekend (9 to 11 September) with concerts in Lerwick, Bigton, Brae, Scalloway and Sandwick.

On Friday 9th September the Big Kirk in Lerwick opens its doors to the Craigiebuckler String Ensemble who will be performing Strauss Prelude for Sextet from 'Capriccio', Vivaldi’s double concerto for two cellos RV 531 in G minor. and Brahms Sextet no.2 in G major.

Sunday 7th Aug sees the start of this year's Fiddle Frenzy, a marathon seven-day and night music festival and summer school celebrating the contemporary culture of Shetland.

Shetland Arts is offering 12 free scholarship places for young musicians from Scotland's Islands to visit Shetland and take part in two exiting music events this summer.

Shetland Jazz Club Secretary Jeff Merryfield has been nominated as "Jazz Promoter of the year" in the Scottish Jazz Awards 2011, presented by the Scottish Jazz Federation and Jazz International.

The Shetland Young Fiddler of the Year competition starts in the Garrison Theatre today (Frid 22nd April), featuring 92 entrants competing in a range of categories over the two day event. The adjudicators are Aly Bain, Gemma Donald and Bryan Gear.

With only one week to go until the 31st Shetland Folk Festival, tickets are selling fast with only a handful left.

Former Shetland resident Warren Gillespie will be returning to Lerwick Town Hall to perform some classical favourites with Scottish Opera's "Emerging Artist" Marie Claire Breen and Japanese pianist Ayako Kanazawa. The concert, on Thursday 31st March, is in support of the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and a retiring collection will be held in aid of ongoing relief efforts.