Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Club.

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Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Club.

The Local Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Club page to keep you updated with what's happening. Our audience always enjoy hearing good music.

The Isle of Skye Accordion & Fiddle Club meets on the first Thursday of the month, from October to May in Well Plaid, The Royal Hotel, Bank Street, Portree, Isle of Skye. We have an exciting programme of guest artistes from all over Scotland who come along to entertain us. Part of the evening is given over to our local and visiting players to “give us a tune”. The music starts at 7.30pm with our l

ocal and visiting members coming on stage first, followed by the guest artiste. All levels of player are welcome as well as listeners who just enjoy traditional accordion and fiddle music in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. No reasonable offer to play will be turned down. It may surprise you but many of our members have never touched, let alone played an accordion or fiddle. Our Club night is a family affair, we have members from 8 to 80. All are made welcome.

23/04/2026

Our final club night of the season is Thursday 7 May. Everyone welcome!

07/04/2026

🪗🥁🎻 ISLE OF SKYE ACCORDION & FIDDLE CLUB - April 2026 🎻🥁🪗

The April meeting of the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Club held in the Royal Hotel, Portree, on Thursday, 2nd April 2026, began with the sound of the small pipes in the hands of father and son duo, Fox and Kiro Brendon, as they played a set of ¾ marches – 'O' Luaidh', 'Leaving Barra', 'Cearcall a' Chuain' and 'The Youngest Ancient Mariner'. Kiro then started solo on a set of jigs with 'Glasgow City Police Pipe Band' and Fox joined in with 'Paddy's Leather Breeches', 'Jig of Slurs' and 'The Seagull'. They were followed on stage by Kiro's sister, Leela on her fiddle playing the slow air 'Mo Mhathair' into two 6/8 marches – 'PM Donald Maclean of Lewis' and 'The MacNeills of Ugadale' – a lively selection of music much appreciated by the large audience.

It was then time to welcome the group Faram to the stage – all primary school pupils playing five piano accordions, four fiddles and seven whistles, led as usual by Angus Mackenzie. They performed three great sets including a new set of sing along waltzes which were much enjoyed by all present. Next up was Stefan Davies who played 'Mo Mhathair' on whistle before changing to the Highland Hornpipe to play 'Gordon's Favourite', 'Hot Punch' and 'The Dark Island'. Following on was fiddle player, Wendy Riva, who has performed at the Club for many years, and Wendy played a fine set of reels followed by a selection from Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Phantom of the Opera' – 'All I Ask of You' and 'The Music of the Night'.

Our guest band were next on stage. Making their first visit to the Club and all the way from North Uist were the trio of Padruig and Shona Morrison and Duncan MacDonald. Padruig was playing piano accordion with Shona on fiddle and Duncan on drums. A very lively set of 2/4 marches – 'Hebridean Polka' and the 'Conundrum' – were followed by the 6/8 marches – 'Trees of North Uist' and 'Ishbel T Macdonald' and set the rhythm for the evening. The band followed on with pipe reels and Gaelic waltzes before Shona played a solo set of a slow air and strathspey to great applause from the listeners. They rounded off the first half of the evening with some 4/4 and 6/8 marches and a set of Gaelic jigs.

Prior to the break for food the monthly raffle was drawn and thanks is due to all the members who donate every month resulting in much needed income for the Club.

The second half got under way with a grand Stramash led by vice chair Calum Macaskill on accordion and comprising five fiddlers, two piano accordionists and a drummer and bodhran player and they played the march set – 'Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle', 'The Barren Rocks of Aden', 'Greenwood Side', 'The 72nd Highlanders Farewell to Edinburgh' and 'The Lovat Scouts'. This was followed by a popular waltz set – 'Skye Boat Song', 'Margaret's Waltz' and 'Morag of Dunvegan'.

Our local Club band – Calum, Carina and Charlie – then kept the feet tapping with a pipe medley of the 'Heights of Casino', '51st Highland Division' and 'Farewell to the 3rd Battalion the Royal Irish Rangers' followed by two very popular waltzes - Gordon Patullo's 'The Furrows End' and 'Waltz for Kylin' composed by Dougie Hunter. It was then the turn of Club Chair Julia to pick up her fiddle to play 'Bethany's Waltz', 'Ye Banks and Braes' and 'Eleanor of Usen' which was composed by Phil Cunningham.

Our guest musicians then took to the floor again commencing with the 2/4 marches –'Irene Meldrum's Welcome to Bon Accord' followed by 'Iain McLachlan of Greagory'. After a fine set of waltzes and a great schottische the band continued with a set of reels including the tunes 'Lowering the Creel' written by Padruig and 'Lorna's World Tour' composed by Shona for her sister, Lorna. More waltzes followed and the lively music continued with fantastic sets of stirring jigs and reels. An encore was then demanded by the delighted audience and they rounded the evening off in great style with a fine set of strathspeys.

Calum proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the musicians and wished everyone a safe journey home with the reminder that the May meeting on Thursday, 7th May would be the final session of this season when the guest band would be the popular Calum McColl Trio.

JIM CAMPBELL

03/04/2026

Thanks to Padruig & Shona Morrison and Duncan MacDonald for joining us on our second to last club night of the season last night, a fantastic night of music!

18/03/2026

Our next club night is just a couple of weeks away, plenty of time to practice a few tunes ready to play for us. Everyone welcome!

12/03/2026

🪗🎻🥁ISLE OF SKYE ACCORDION & FIDDLE CLUB – March 2026 🪗🎻🥁

The March Club night started with a grand Stramash of seven players led by Calum MacAskill on accordion as they played the 6/8 marches 'Sweet Maid of Mull' and the 'Bearsden Fiddlers' followed by a lovely set of Gaelic waltzes.

The large audience then welcomed on stage Angus Mackenzie and a group of young musicians from the local Gaelic school and the group Ceilear. Three whistle players began proceedings with some fine tunes and they were then joined by another whistle player, fiddlers and accordionist to play 'Waltz for Kylin' accompanied by Angus himself and Dougie Hunter, who composed the tune, on accordion. The entire group (nineteen musicians) completed their spot with a great selection of tunes with Angus playing a bouzouki (mandolin) to the delight of everyone present.

It was then time for the Highland bagpipes in the hands of father and son, Fox and Kiro Brendon as they played the 'Green Hills of Tyrol', The Battles O'er' and 'Pipe Major Angus MacDonald'. Kiro continued with a solo on the pipes, 'Sandy's New Chanter' and 'Itchy Fingers'. Following in the family footsteps was the talented fiddler, Leela Brendon, who played 'Neil Gow's Lament' and the popular 2/4 march, 'Father John MacMillan of Barra'.

Our next artist was local musician Stefan Davies who played the Irish air, 'Eamon an Cnoc' on the soprano recorder followed by the Swedish tune 'Gardebylaten' and 'MacFarlane o' the Sprots o' Burnieboozie' and 'The Barnyards o' Delgaty' on the whistle.

It was then time to welcome our guest musicians – the Dougie Hunter Trio - Dougie, from Glenfinnan, playing accordion accompanied on piano by Lauren Moir from Arisaig and Hugh McCallum from Portree on drums. The band set off in lively fashion with a set of jigs – 'Corkhill', 'The Curlew' and 'Portree Bay' and continued with sets of marches and were joined by Angus Mackenzie for a great set of reels. Waltzes were next on the programme with 'Waltz for Kylin' and 'Sharon Eubank's Waltz'. A varied selection followed including a Hungarian tune – 'Czardas' – and the band rounded off the first half with the tunes 'Tatties' and 'Crossing the Minch'.

After the normal break for tea and sausage rolls the second half began with Calum on accordion along with Carina Campbell on fiddle and Donald John Campbell on drums who played the 2/4 marches, 'The Camerons of Shieldaig' and 'Sheila Cameron' and waltzes 'June Clover' and 'Joyce Ray' before Julia Rudram stepped up with her fiddle to play some Phil Cunningham compositions – 'The Pearl', 'Eleanor of Usen' and 'The Hut on Staffin Island'.

It was then time to welcome the Dougie Hunter Trio back on stage and it was a foot tapping selection of 2/4 marches followed by pipe tunes leading to the 6/8 marches – 'Dr Ross's 50th Welcome to the Argyllshire Gathering' and 'The 10th Battallion HLI Crossing the Rhine'.This led to an unusual set of Irish polkas followed by a set of jigs with all the tunes written by Dougie – 'Miss Sarah Gillies', 'Orkney the Forester' and 'Ian and Betty's Jig' written for his parents. A lively set of hornpipes and a reel brought the night to an end – music provided by three excellent musicians playing together as a band for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed by the large audience.

Chairperson Julia wished everybody a safe journey home reminding them that the next session will be on Thursday, 2nd April 2026 with a guest appearance by Padruig and Shona Morrison and Duncan Macdonald.

JIM CAMPBELL

06/03/2026

Thanks to The Dougie Hunter Trio for being our guest band last night, a fantastic evening!

04/03/2026

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow evening!

18/02/2026

February is flying past and our next club night is just a couple of weeks away! Come along on Thursday 5 March for another evening of great music! With our guest band, The Dougie Hunter Trio, and our wonderful local players, you're guaranteed an excellent night of music. New players are always welcome! See you there!🪗🥁🎻

11/02/2026

ISLE OF SKYE ACCORDION & FIDDLE CLUB – February 2026

Chairperson Julia Rudram welcomed the audience to the first meeting of 2026 in the Royal Hotel, Portree, on Thursday, 5th February, wishing everyone a rather belated Happy New Year. The evening got off to a great start with the music of a group of 10 pupils from Portree Gaelic Primary School who played the reel 'Lochaber Badger' followed by the strathspey 'Calum's Road' and some Puirt-a-beul music. This very talented group of young musicians played accordions, fiddles, whistles and bodhran under the leadership of Angus MacKenzie much to the delight of an almost capacity audience.

One of the young whistle players, Kiro Brendon, then took to the stage along with his father, Fox, playing the Lowland pipes with the solo 'Brochan Lom' and 'Fear a phige' and then as a duo 'Teann a-nall', 'Morag of Dunvegan', 'Scotland the Brave', 'The Rowan Tree' and 'Loch Ruan' with Kiro taking over with some of the solo parts. They then finished up with the 'Vienese Waltz' (8 parts).

Following Kiro were three fiddle players from the group – Isla Duncan who played 'Mairi's Wedding' and Isla James and Maisie MacDonald who played 'The Dark Island' as a duet. The young musicians were much appreciated by the large audience.

Our long time Club regular Wendy Riva was next to perform with a Robbie Burns selection – 'Loch Lomond', 'Hielan' Laddie', Comin' Thru the Rye' and 'The Road to the Isles' – on her trusty fiddle. Wendy followed those tunes with 'Largo's Fairy Dance' and 'Le Streghe' by Paganini.

It was then time for our guest musicians to take to the stage – popular local accordionist James Stewart on piano accordion accompanied by long time Club drummer, Donald John Campbell. They entertained the audience with a fantastic selection of traditional Scottish music with sets for the dances Gay Gordons and Boston Two Step, Pipe Jigs, Reels, Gaelic Waltzes and a lovely version of 'Sarah's Tune'. This brought us to the interval and a most welcome cuppa with sausage rolls and sandwiches provided by the hotel staff.

The second half got under way with a Stramash featuring 10 musicians led by Calum
MacAskill on piano accordion playing some Retreat Marches followed by a lively set of Jigs.

We were then delighted to welcome two visitors to the Club, starting off with Iain Morrison from Wishaw – secretary of Canderside Accordion and Fiddle Club and no stranger to Portree – who played 'Sine Bhan' and 'Eilidh' followed by 'Ribheain Oig', 'Tean-a-nall' and 'Uidmist no Ghraidh' on his accordion. A great welcome then to accordionist Don MacDonald from Glasgow, leader of the group Eriskay Lilt, who gave us 'Captain Carswell' and 'John MacDonald of Glencoe' and the 'Eavesdropper', 'Wee Murdo'. 'Wee Ted', 'Bernera Bridge' and 'Kenny Gillies of Portnalong'.

To take us up to raffle time our chair Julia played the tunes 'Hommage to a Fiddler', 'Farquhar and Hettie's Waltz' and 'Bob's Tune', which was composed by Farquhar MacDonald, on her fiddle.

It was time then to handover once again to the guest musicians James and Donald John. A real foot tapping start with a set for the Gay Gordons followed by Jigs and Marches, a Gaelic Waltz and a great set of Polkas – 'The Bluebell Polka' and 'The Royal Scots Polka' - before rounding off the evening with a Highland Schottische and a fantastic set for the Dashing White Sergeant. Their performance brought huge applause from the large audience and we look forward to a repeat performance in the not too distant future.

Our next Club night will be on Thursday, 5th March 2026 when the guest spot will be performed by the Dougie Hunter Trio in the Royal Hotel, Portree.

JIM CAMPBELL

07/02/2026

As well as our guest band we had an encouraging turnout of players including the group from the Bun Sgoil, who have become regular players at our club night.

06/02/2026

A great evening of music from James Stewart and Donald John last night, here's a wee clip for you to enjoy if you weren't able to make it along!🪗🥁

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http://www.skyemusic.co.uk/

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