Amy Geddes

Galloway-born fiddler Amy Geddes has been a stalwart of the Edinburgh session scene for some years and is now at the forefront of contemporary Scottish fiddle playing as a performer,teacher and composer.

Composition Work

As a composer she is well respected and sought after. Her tunes are recorded regularly by leading Celtic players, a particularly popular one being ‘Andy’s Saltire’, the opening track on the celebrated album ‘Bold’ by Catriona MacDonald. This tune also appears in the new Session Tunes Book from Taigh na Teud, part of a series of collections used by fiddlers worldwide. Fine Friday have even titled their latest album after Amy’s tune, ‘Mowing the Machair’.

Teaching Work

As a teacher, Amy works for Midlothian Council teaching fiddle in various primary and secondary schools and runs fiddle, step dance and mixed instrument groups for the Riddell Fiddles in the Scottish Borders. For many years she has tutored at RSAMD Junior Academy and the Glasgow and Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshops, as well as running residencies for Stirling Council. Amy regularly runs her own workshops bringing together an exciting array of international tutors to offer a unique approach to music making within the Scottish Tradition.

Performance Work

As a performer her CV is varied. She has toured in the UK and Europe with Tannas and The Scottish Step Dance Company, and plays and calls with various dance bands. Amy has collaborated with Chinese and Pakistani musicians on a new composition for the Edinburgh Mela and has worked on other new music pieces with Savourna Stevenson and Adam Sutherland and also contributed to a Brian Wilson tribute album.  Amy plays in a duo with Sandy Wright (they have released two albums together) and with The Sophie Bancroft Band.

Her first solo album Messing is due for release in spring 2012. On it she presents her new quartet with Amy on fiddle, Kevin MacKenzie (guitar), Tom Lyne (double bass) and Iain Copeland (drums). The shared intimacy of these players brings a new sound to the Scottish fiddle scene mixing traditional and contemporary compositions. 

Her fiddle style has developed over the years through playing with numerous musicians in an eclectic variety of musical styles both at home and in far-flung places like Norway, Canada & India. This all converges to result in an assured fiddle style firmly rooted in Scotland and enhanced by an increasingly broad wealth of musical experience. Amy is now based near Edinburgh and is a full time musician.

“brilliant sensitivity and vigour of excellence, heightened by a wealth of complementary colours and accents.” The Sunday Herald

 Please visit Amy’s website www.amygeddes.co.uk