01/04/2026
🎶 That’s a wrap on the season! 🎶
Last Thursday marked our final club night of the 2025/26 season, and what a fantastic way to finish!
A big thank you to our guest Sandy Nixon for a brilliant evening, along with all our local musicians who helped make it such a special night. It was also great to celebrate the results of our Annual Tune Competition 👏
Many thanks to everyone who has supported the club throughout the season performers and audiences alike.
We look forward to seeing you all again next season 🎻🪗
📝 Club Report by Alan Gifford:
Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Club Report – 26th March 2026
Chairman Peter Leask welcomed everyone to the last meeting of the winter session, and introduced the first group on stage, young band Da Gadderie. With James Morris on lead accordion, Tom Jamieson, fiddle, Kerem Tekcan 2nd accordion, Megan Nisbet, piano and Euan Slater drums, they set the standard for the rest of the evening, starting with a two-step written by Megan, some Up Helly Aa related marches (very seasonal!) and finishing off with sets of jigs and reels.
Next on stage was Da Fustra, led by Alan Small, with Alan Gifford, fiddle, Kirsten Gifford, piano, and Kevin Gifford, drums. Their first set was the late Neil Donald's arrangement of The Shetland Fisherman's Backstep, and they followed this with a set of waltzes and some cracking Iain MacPhail reels.
The Heritage Fiddlers comprise 6 fiddlers, with Eva Ganson on piano. In their first set was the brilliantly named The Doon-hinging Tie, and their rendition of Ashokan Farewell included some lovely harmonies, before they finished up with a set of reels.
It was now guest artiste time and the Sandy Nixon Trio took the stage. Sandy had agreed to judge the Club's annual tune competition, but before announcing the results they played a couple of sets, 'to warm up' as he said. He complimented all those who had entered a tune, and pointed out that on another day, with another judge, the results might well have been different.
In the Junior Class Ami Grains was placed 3rd with her slow air, Lorraine Margaret Grains. Second was Kristie Williamson with Nae Runs Reel, and the winner of the Allan Bruce Memorial Shield was Evie Tulloch with her reel 'Flossie's Hurl'. Peter Leask suggested there was an interesting story behind that title!
Moving on to the Senior Class, there was a tie for 3rd place, with Steven Spence's Jig, Billy o' da Toon Hall and Kerem Tekcan's Burnside March. Kerem's unnamed reel was 2nd, and the winner of the Willie Hunter Memorial Trophy was Liam Slater, with again a reel, as yet unnamed.
The John Jamieson Memorial Trophy is awarded to the best slow air, Junior or Senior, and this was won by George Spence with the simply titled Iain.
Peter Leask remarked how reassuring it was to note that, apart from the Junior Class, all the placed tunes bar one were written by the younger generation. Congratulations to them, and indeed to all the composers.
Sandy Nixon then continued for the rest of the first half with his trio of Jim Clark on piano and Ian Graham on drums augmented by fiddler Alan Gifford, mentioning that they had played together on many occasions. Sandy had a great story to tell about each tune he played including The Glen Mavis Two-step, written for the late Cecil Hughson and his wife Sheila who was in the audience.
After the interval we had young Jayden Moore on accordion, and he played The Ornithologist and a set of jigs starting with Calliope House. He was joined on fiddle by Liam Slater, Kerem Tekcan, accordion, Alan Small, piano, and Euan Slater on drums.
Last up before the guest artistes was fiddler George Spence accompanied on piano by Kirsten Gifford. His first medley comprised Olive Lodge, The Newcastle Hornpipe, and Lorna's Reel and before finishing off with a set of Irish reels he played Tom Anderson's slow air Jeanna's Tune.
Sandy Nixon came back to the stage to provide 45 minutes of excellent musical entertainment, including a few continental numbers, and a tribute to the late Bill Hendry who had played piano with Sandy for many years. We also learned that Pudsey's Jig was written for a well known drummer, someone we didn't even know had a nickname! A highlight was The Skerries Two-step written for the Silver Wedding of Joyce and John Williamson, when Sandy played at the anniversary dance. After the usual small presentation to the guest artistes, they finished up with a set of swinging reels, including John Delaney's and Ingram's 35.
Peter Leask reminded everyone of the Club's Dance (4 local bands!) on 19th June and wished everyone a safe journey home.
