Violinist & Award-Winning Scottish Fiddler

MUSIC SELECTION:
I offer thoughtful repertoire depending on the purpose of your event, and you can discuss music selection with me as much as you like.

ORIGINAL COMPOSITION:
I also offer composition of original commemorative tunes. Include someone you love in the centuries-old tradition of Scottish fiddlers composing and performing original honoring tunes such as Lament for James Moray of Abercairney or Major James of Inchbrakie. I have personally written around 300 tunes in the Scottish idiom and would love to provide that for you. It helps for me to have some information about the person/event for which the tune will be written, as I'm then better able to musically impress the feelings and characteristics into the tune itself.

REQUESTS:
I have learned thousands of tunes and can easily accommodate most any requests, even if it's someone humming a tune I've never heard before.

DRESS:
I can wear a traditional formal kilt (main colors being red and green) with a Prince Charlie jacket, or I can wear a less formal kilt (main color is purple), or I can wear a suit, or I can dress even more casual depending on the dress code for your event.

EQUIPMENT, SETUP:
I have all equipment required for me to play solo, amplified or fully acoustic, or in a group. I use a special violin pickup system for which I can coordinate operation with your sound engineer if necessary. Also, even in rougher weather, the special strings and pegs I use allow me to maintain tuning better than most instrument setups.

Hi, I'm David, a Scottish Fiddler & Violinist.

I began playing the violin in 2000, and began diving into traditional Scottish music beginning in 2006 when I started studying with Dr. John Turner at the Jink & Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling.

My music has a unique ability to make people dance and make people cry. I am known to play it in a distinctly stylistic way based upon the tradition from the Golden Age of Scottish fiddling, the 18th century. My teaching/pupil lineage goes directly back to Niel Gow ((phone number hidden)7) himself, the most iconic Scottish fiddler-composer in history. Like Niel Gow, I focus on playing the violin with emotional expression above all else while challenging assumptions in tune interpretation yet aggressively maintaining an ingrained traditional sense in my interpretation.

In 2010, I won the largest material prize in the history of this tradition, the Niel Gow Fiddle Award, the only time it was ever given, at the U.S. National Scottish Fiddling Championship, and have in other years won numerous other National awards and Regional awards.

I've personally composed around 300 pieces of music, a number of which have been performed by other notable musicians.

Taking part in people's meaningful moments as a musician helps give more meaning to my life. I love playing music for people and being able to serve to help accentuate life with dignity, joy, and honor.

I have all equipment required for me to play solo, amplified or fully acoustic, or in a group. I use a special violin pickup system for which I can coordinate operation with your sound engineer in advance if necessary. Also, even in rougher weather, the special strings and pegs I use allow me to maintain tuning better than most instrument setups.