Music in Dumfries presents: Alistair Savage & Alice Allen
The Fiddle Music of Scotland and Beyond: Music from the Scots fiddle tradition alongside sounds from Ireland and America
About the event
Alastair Savage is originally from Ayrshire and has performed traditional and classical music throughout his life. He was the winner of the ‘Land O’ Burns’ Scots fiddle competition in his youth and studied classical violin at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire) and thereafter at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
He has been a member of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra since 1997 with whom he has toured South Korea, Japan, China, USA, South America and throughout Europe, as well as appearing as traditional fiddle soloist on BBC Radio 3, Radio Scotland and on national radio in the USA. He has recorded seven solo albums featuring a contrast of celebrated Scots fiddle repertoire from centuries past alongside his own unique compositions.
The most recent of these was made alongside acclaimed cellist Alice Allen, their 2024 double album ‘Where The Good Ship Lands’ was heralded by audiences and critics alike. As a composer Alastair’s music has been used by BBC Alba for documentary purposes and in 2021 he was shortlisted for a Scottish Award In New Music. As a session musician he has worked with many top artists crossing different musical genres, including Belle and Sebastian, Karen Matheson, Justin Currie and Ricky Ross. Other folk music projects include working with the Grit Orchestra and the legendary Scottish band TheWhistlebinkies.
Alice Allen is originally from Banchory and one of the country’s leading cellists. She studied traditional cello with renowned instrumentalist Natalie Haas and has performed alongside Robyn Stapleton, Patsy Reid, Shona Aitken, John Goldie, Julie Fowlis and Kris Drever to name but a few. Alice recently completed an extensive study involving historic cello accompaniment for the music of James Scott Skinner and others and has been one of Alastair Savage’s main collaborators over the past decade, appearing alongside him at concert performances throughout the country.
Formerly young artist in residence with the Scottish Ensemble, Alice has also worked with many of the country’s leading classical performing groups including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Her most notable success came at Celtic Connections 2024 with her performance of ‘Bass Culture’, a series of pieces commissioned for the new voices project at the festival, and resulting in aCD release thereafter.
‘Perfect for enhancing the mood’ (Fatea Records)
‘Stunning……an absolutely beautiful double album’ (Folk Wales)
‘Breathtaking effortlessness’ (BrightYoungFolk)
‘a must for aficionados’ (Herald)
‘spectacular in simplicity, scope and delivery’ (Folkwords)
‘panache, grace and affection’ (Scotsman)
Date
Sunday 10th January 2027
Time
3:00pm
Location
The Bridge, Dumfries, DG2 0LL
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