Shetland-Music.com

Few groups can carry the flame of musical endurance higher than the Shetland Fiddlers Society.

Shetland Fiddlers Society

Formed way back in 1960 by the late Tom Anderson the 'group' were originally conceived to perform at a Shetland Hamefarin (a ex-pats en-mass return to their homeland) that same year. Tom's aim was also to bring together all those local fiddlers who were still performing in the 'true' Shetland style, a style that had been threatened by extinction for a number of reasons, one of which being the increasing popularity of Scottish dance tunes, and the fact that, prior to this, no musical vehicle then existed to bring musicians of this kind together in Shetland to exchange ideas and support and maintain their own heritage

Back then they were known as the 'Forty Fiddlers' (simply because there were around 40 musicians in the group) and such was their impact at that event and other local dances and concerts the group stayed together for many years in that format.

Since then the group have continued to uphold Shetland's fiddle tradition in it's purest format, encouraging traditional music making and participation for young and old alike and acting as the springboard for a number of great fiddle players and groups in their own right.

Living history in a musical context.