LONDON: St Columba's Church

Tuesday 24th January, 2017

7:30pm

Event information

Fara brings together four emerging musicians at the forefront of today's young Scottish folk scene, Jennifer Austin, Kristan Harvey, Jeana Leslie and Catriona Price's three fiddles and a piano, to produce a fiery sound rooted strongly in their upbringing among the music of Orkney.

Having been friends since they were in nappies, the girls grew up under the musical guidance of Douglas Montgomery (The Chair, Saltfishforty) with the four East Mainlanders of the band in fiddle group Hadhirgaan at Kirkwall Grammar School, and Kristan, a West Mainlander, in Jenny Kelday's Shoramere at Stromness Academy. The five girls then went on to study south, and hold degrees from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow School of Art, Strathclyde University, The Royal Northern College of Music and The Royal Academy of Music. They have all since established themselves in the Scottish music scene winning prizes along the way which include the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, The BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year, The Deutsche Bank Award in Performance and Composition, and the Danny Kyle Award.

The idea for the band came after several appearances as "The Chairettes", The Chair's backing band. At one gig, the girls were put on stage to play a couple of sets on their own, and Bob Gibbon, The Chair's Accordionist and Orkney Folk Festival director, suggested they form a new band. To the Chair's disappointment they decided to loose the name, and Fara was born.

With vibrant arrangements full of rich harmonies, energetic fiddle playing and driving piano, Fara's show is sure to be an exciting one. With a mixture of self-penned and traditional Orkney tunes as well as some songs, the girls' combined musical experiences and friendships produce an exciting and individual sound, about to burst onto the traditional music scene.

Pont Street
Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 0BD

www.folkonmonday.co.uk