Our Monthly Singers' Session resumes Tuesday 13 September - all welcome! Plus other events...

If you like singing - particularly songs that have a something folky about them - why not come along to our regular monthly Singers' Session in the Royal Oak downstairs lounge (Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT) next on Tuesday 13 September, from 8pm until 11pm? There's no admission charge and all who want to sing are welcome - whatever your ability or even language!

Whilst waiting for this date to come around there is still Festival Folk at the Oak until 4 September - details at: http://www.royal-oak-folk.com/page5.html

Though if you want a break outside of Edinburgh, the Kirriemuir Festival is on 2-4 September with all the usual concerts, ceilidhs, talks, competitions, sessions, street entertainment and general fun, run by the fabulous Angus Branch of the TMSA. For more details visit: http://www.kirriefestival.org/

And the following week is the more nearby Linlithgow Festival 7-11 September - programme information is at: http://www.linlithgowfolk.com/

Folk at the Royal Oak and Auchtermuchty (as there's no Singers Session in August!)

Just a wee reminder that we don't have a Singers Session tonight at the Royal Oak (9 August) but if you do pop along you will be treated to some fine folk music from Aaron Jones & Tim O'Leary. If you want to find out who else is on during August just visit: http://www.royal-oak-folk.com/page5.html

There's also some free shows during the day - see the details at:
http://www.royal-oak-folk.com/page12.html plus you can catch David Ferrard inbetween with his Scottish Folk Roots and Offshoots show at 6.30pm - well worth getting a seat for (and there are only 30!) More details at: http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/music/scottish-folk-roots-and-offshoots

Finally if you want to get out of Edinburgh this weekend (12-14 August) - why not go up to Auchtermuchty Festival (in Fife) for one of the original festivals of traditional music, song and dance organised by other TMSA members! Visit: http://www.auchtermuchty-festival.org.uk/music for more information.

Our Monthly Singers' Session - all welcome!

If you like singing - particularly songs that have a something folky about them - why not come along to our regular monthly Singers' Session in the Royal Oak downstairs lounge (Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT) next on Tuesday 12 July, from 8pm until 11pm?

There's no admission charge and all who want to sing are welcome - whatever your ability or even language! Last month we had a visit from some visiting Australians which included a rendition of 'Wild Colonial Boy' - every session has had at least one wonderful surprise like this!

The sessions happen on every 2nd Tuesday of the month (except August when there's something folky on at the Oak every night of the Festival - check it out!).

Come and join us at our monthly Singers' Session

If you like singing - particularly songs that have a something folky about them - why not come along to our regular monthly Singers' Session in the Royal Oak downstairs lounge (Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT) on Tuesday 14 June, from 8pm until 11pm? There's no admission charge and all who want to sing are welcome - whatever your ability or even language! The sessions happen on every 2nd Tuesday of the month (except August when the Festival is on).

Singers' Session 10 May 2011 - come and join us!

We are celebrating as part of Voluntary Arts Week, our now regular monthly Singers' Session in the Royal Oak downstairs lounge (Infirmary Street, Edinburgh) on Tuesday 10 May, from 8pm until 11pm approx, and thereafter on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. No admission charge and all who want to sing are welcome.

Singers' Session 12 April 2011

Now we've had a little time to recover from presenting Northern Streams 2011 we would like to remind you that the next monthly Singers' Session in the Royal Oak downstairs lounge (Infirmary Street, Edinburgh) is Tuesday 12 April, from 8pm until 11pm approx, and thereafter on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. No admission charge and all are welcome.

Northern Streams 1-3 April 2011

We now have the programme all in one place in a downloadable leaflet. You can find out when and where our great lineup of Scandinavian and Scottish artists will be performing and teaching 1-3 April 2011.

Artists coming for 2011 are:
Norwegian Musician of the Year 2010 - Sigrid Molestad & band; Fribo (Norway/Sweden/Scotland); Celtic Nyckelharpa Project (Scotland/Sweden); Hal & Nikolaj (Scotland/Denmark) - Danish Folk Music Award winners 2009; Anders Aasberg (Norway) - Eurovision 2009 winning dancer; James MacDonald Reid (Scotland) and The Dancing Danes.

To download the leaflet or more information on the performers, click here (or paste the website link into your address bar) to be taken to the relevant page on the main TMSA website: http://www.tmsa.org.uk/scottish-music-event.asp?e=1293&b=6

OR you can scroll down this page for a chronological programme outline....

Friday 1 April Norway, Sweden & Scotland Concert 7.30pm

The Pleasance Theatre, 60 The Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ £10/8

Norwegian Folk Musician of the Year 2010, fiddler and singer Sigrid Moldestad and band performs her own material, as well as translations of Burns’ songs – mixing the music of the fjords with folk-blues-rock. Fribo (‘Open House’), made up of fellow Norwegian singer Anne Sofie Linge Valdal, Scottish fiddler Hannah Read, Edinburgh guitarist Ewan MacPherson and Swedish percussionist Magnus Lundmark, has toured the UK, North America, and Europe. “...zestful, vibrant, multi-national North Sea sound” Womad The evening includes a Halling dance performance from Eurovision 2009 winning dancer, Anders Aasberg.

Tickets for all Edinburgh & Glasgow events available through the Ceilidh Culture Box Office, Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh: www.ceilidhculture.co.uk/www.usherhall.co.uk or tel: 0131 228 1155 or on the door. (NB: a small booking fee applies to web & phone bookings but not to those made in person).
Edinburgh Weekend ticket £32/£25: the 2 Edinburgh evening concerts and up to three Edinburgh workshops - save up to £12! (Please specify which workshops at the time of booking).
Glasgow Day Ticket £20/£15: the 3 workshops & ceilidh — save up to £9! NB: Weekend/Day Tickets only available from the Ceilidh Culture Box Office over the phone or in person or on the door. Concessions: Over 60s, student, unemployed, disabled, Young Scot + TMSA members.

Read the article on Sigrid Moldestad in The Herald:.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/arts-ents/music-features/pioneering-a-new-burns-country-between-nashville-and-norway-1.1093747

Saturday 2 April Workshops

The Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ Choice of 2 workshops per slot. £8/6 each workshop. Tune workshops suitable for any melody instrument.
10.30am-12.30pm: 1. Learn the Jew’s Harp in 2 Hours – Ewan MacPherson (Scotland) (Please book in advance so we know how many Jew's Harps to supply to participants!)
2. Instrumental Tunes for melody instruments - Sigrid Moldestad (Norway)
1.00-3.00pm: 1. The basics of the Halling Male Dance - Anders Aasberg (Norway)
2. Traditional songs and great ideas for accompaniment - Hal Parfitt-Murray & Nikolaj Busk (Scotland/Denmark)
3.30-5.30pm: 1. Danish Couple and Male Dances - The Dancing Danes (Denmark)
2. Scottish/Irish Tunes for melody instruments – Gavin Pennycook (Scotland)

Saturday 2 April Children’s Folklore Session 11am – 12noon

The Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ

Come with us on a journey through music, song, dance and story drawing on the different traditions of Scotland, presented by James MacDonald Reid (Artistic Director of the Drumalban Folk Ensemble) and friends. Of Argyll origins, James has always been interested in Scottish traditions and how they connect to other traditions across Europe. Recently he has been researching living Slavic and Norse folklore. This session is most suitable for ages 5+ but fun for all!

Tickets: £5 per child (children must be accompanied by an adult who can join in – and will be admitted free). Available through the Ceilidh Culture Box Office, Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh: www.ceilidhculture.co.uk/ www.usherhall.co.uk or tel: 0131 228 1155 or on the door. (NB: a small booking fee applies to web & phone bookings).

Saturday 2 April Scotland, Sweden & Denmark Concert 7.30pm

The Pleasance Theatre, The Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ £10/8

Celtic Nyckelharpa Project are Gavin Pennycook (nyckelharpa - Swedish keyed fiddle), Rob Truswell (guitar) and Esther Kuck (bodhran). They will be performing tracks from their recently produced first album of Scottish and Irish dance music using the unique sound of the nyckelharpa. Scottish-Australian fiddler & singer, Hal Parfitt-Murray, and Danish Nikolaj Busk’s first album, Hal & Nikolaj, won Debut of the Year at the Danish Folk Music Awards 2009 where Nikolaj also won Composer of the Year. ―…something really special” Roots Zone. They will be joined by members of The Dancing Danes, a group of young internationally travelled dancers, showcasing rare competitive Danish male dances.

Tickets for all Edinburgh & Glasgow events available through the Ceilidh Culture Box Office, Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh: www.ceilidhculture.co.uk/www.usherhall.co.uk or tel: 0131 228 1155 or on the door. (NB: a small booking fee applies to web & phone bookings but not to those made in person).
Edinburgh Weekend ticket £32/£25: the 2 Edinburgh evening concerts and up to three Edinburgh workshops - save up to £12! (Please specify which workshops at the time of booking).
Glasgow Day Ticket £20/£15: the 3 workshops & ceilidh — save up to £9! NB: Weekend/Day Tickets only available from the Ceilidh Culture Box Office over the phone or in person or on the door. Concessions: Over 60s, student, unemployed, disabled, Young Scot + TMSA members.

Sunday 3 April ‘Day of Dance’ - Glasgow

Glasgow University Union, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LX
Your chance to learn from top Scandinavian and Scottish dancers
Norway: With many moves similar to breakdancing and streetdance, the traditional Halling dance form wowed Eurovision audiences when Norway won the 2009 song contest and choreography prize when performed by members of the group — Frikar. And now you can learn directly from one of those winners — Anders Aasberg.
Scotland: James MacDonald Reid and friends will give you an insight into and chance to try the older style of male Highland dance for yourself.
Denmark: The Dancing Danes, formed from top young dancers from across Denmark to perform internationally, will be teaching and demonstrating both couple dances and the rarer male Danish dances.
NB: Both male & female participants are welcome!

Dance Sessions Each session: £7/5 (Day ticket £20/£15)
1.00-2.30pm: Scotland — James MacDonald Reid & friends
2.45-4.15pm: Norway — Halling dance with Anders Aasberg
4.30-6.00pm: Denmark — with the Dancing Danes

Ceilidh & Dance Performance 7.00pm. £8/6 (or free as part of day ticket). Indulge in a wee bit of dancing, music, song, story and seeing what has taken place at earlier sessions. Featuring performances of Norwegian Halling dance with Anders Aasberg, the male form of Scottish Highland dancing with James MacDonald Reid and friends, and the Dancing Danes. PLUS bring your dancing shoes to enjoy the fun with ceilidh dances in between with music and calling from John Somerville & co. All welcome!

Tickets for all Edinburgh & Glasgow events available through the Ceilidh Culture Box Office, Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh: www.ceilidhculture.co.uk/ www.usherhall.co.uk or tel: 0131 228 1155 or on the door. (NB: a small booking fee applies to web & phone bookings but not to those made in person).
Glasgow Day Ticket £20/£15: the 3 workshops & ceilidh — save up to £9! NB: Weekend/Day Tickets only available from the Ceilidh Culture Box Office over the phone or in person or on the door. Concessions: Over 60s, student, unemployed, disabled, Young Scot + TMSA members.

See Anders in action in Eurovision at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCoL4NsDozw

Next Singers' Session 12 April 2011 - Royal Oak

Next Singers' Session 12/04/11 - Royal Oak

Just a reminder that the next monthly Singers' Session in the Royal Oak downstairs lounge (Infirmary Street, Edinburgh) is Tuesday 8 March, from 8pm until 11pm approx, and thereafter on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. No admission charge.

Northern Streams 2011 Programme 1-3 April now available! Events in Edinburgh & Glasgow

We now have the programme all in one place in a downloadable leaflet. You can find out when and where our great lineup of Scandinavian and Scottish artists will be performing and teaching 1-3 April 2011.

Artists coming for 2011 are:
Norwegian Musician of the Year 2010 - Sigrid Molestad & band; Fribo (Norway/Sweden/Scotland); Celtic Nyckelharpa Project (Scotland/Sweden); Hal & Nikolaj (Scotland/Denmark) - Danish Folk Music Award winners 2009; Anders Aasberg (Norway) - Eurovision 2009 winning dancer; James MacDonald Reid (Scotland) and The Dancing Danes.

For more information, click here to be taken to the relevant page on the main TMSA website: http://www.tmsa.org.uk/scottish-music-event.asp?e=1293&b=6

Next Singers' Session 08/03/11 - Royal Oak

Just a reminder that the next monthly Singers' Session in the Royal Oak downstairs lounge (Infirmary Street, Edinburgh) is Tuesday 8 March, from 8pm until 11pm approx, and thereafter on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. No admission charge.