A week of workshops, concerts, sessions and masterclasses on Lerwick's beautiful historic waterfront, Folk Frenzy 2023 will be curated by renowned Shetland fiddler, Kevin Henderson and will run from Sunday 6 - Friday 11 August 2023.

Kevin draws on the rich fiddle music tradition of his native Shetland, where he learnt from the legendary Willie Hunter, and on his experience with leading folk bands including Boys of the Lough, Fiddlers Bid, Session A9 and Nordic Fiddlers Bloc to create his own expressive and adventurously individual musical style. Kevin and his team of brilliant tutors will lead participants through an intensive and immersive week culminating in a celebratory concert on the Friday evening.

“I’m delighted Frenzy is returning after what will be a 4-year break because of the pandemic. It's been a strange time for everyone, and you can see that folk are over the moon concerts, festivals and the like are back again. There is definitely an excitement about it! 2019 was a big success and I’m looking forward to this edition and to working with a great line up of tutors again. It's going to be fun!" - Kevin Henderson

Tutors

Jenna Reid

Born & bred in Quarff, Shetland, Jenna has toured the world, recorded and released many albums as a soloist and band member. As a finalist of the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Award, Jenna has always composed & her 5th solo album ‘Working Hands’ is a stunning collection of her writing. Following this release, she was awarded Composer of the Year at the 2019 Scots Trad Music Awards. Jenna is a member of Scottish fiddle band Blazin’ Fiddles and appeared on the Transatlantic Sessions alongside Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas.

Tutors

Andrew Gifford

Resides in Glasgow but has a strong Shetlandic heritage, learning the fiddle from both Willie Hunter and Margaret Robertson whilst at school. He joined Fiddlers' Bid at the age of 16, and has performed across the globe with 'da Bid' and other stomping bands such as The Chair. Teaching the fiddle to all levels has been a large part of his career, and he is regularly sought as a tutor throughout Scotland.

Tutors

Amy Laurenson

BBC Radio Scotland Young Musician of the Year 2023 Amy Laurenson is a pianist from the Shetland Isles. Rooted in the traditional music of Shetland, Amy explores the music of her homeland alongside traditional and folk music from Scotland, Ireland and Scandinavia. Growing up surrounded by classical music, she has developed a unique style which fuses traditional, classical and jazz elements

Full Frenzy Pass

The Full Frenzy Pass allows the purchaser entry into all workshops, concerts, sessions and masterclasses. The purchases will also have access to priority booking when tickets are on sale.

You have the option to purchase your Full Frenzy pass outright or pay in installments - passes can be purchased on our website here.

We will be in touch with you nearer the time to provide updates and announcements as the tutors and programme are confirmed, and with more information to help you select whether the intermediate or advanced programme would enable you to make the most of your time at Folk Frenzy 2023. Please ensure you provide a valid email address as this will be used for updates and to request each stage of the payment if you are paying by installments.

Please Note: if you are travelling to Shetland please ensure there is travel and accommodation available before you book your pass as these can fill up very quickly. For tips and advice on your visit to the islands see Visit | Shetland.org.

Festivals

Various
Wordplay
21-25 Sep 2022
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Various
Shetland Noir
15-18 Jun 2023
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Various
Screenplay
29 Aug - 3 Sep 2023
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