City Halls
Sun 9th September 2007, 7:30pm
Tickets £14.50
(tickets can be booked:
In person at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street.
Online www.grch.com
Telephone: 0141 353 8000

Legendary ambassadors of Scottish traditional music and much loved box and fiddle duo Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain will celebrate 20 years of collaboration this September with a performance at Glasgow's City Halls. The concert is part of their 20th Anniversary Tour of Scotland, which will see the pair visit over 45 venues across the country this Autumn.

After first working together on a Channel 4 TV series twenty years ago (whilst members of folk bands Boys of The Lough and Silly Wizard), Aly and Phil enjoyed performing together so much that they embarked upon a small 8-venue tour of Scotland that year. A resounding success, this tour marked the beginning of a remarkable working relationship and friendship, which has taken them all over the world.

Renowned for their witty anecdotes as much as they are for their outstanding musicianship, they have become an institution on the Scottish music scene and are regular performers at music festivals around the world. They have recorded six albums, released on Aly's own record label Whirlie Records, and in 2005 they were awarded Best Duo in the annual BBC Folk Awards. Both hold multiple awards and doctorates and have received MBEs for services to Scottish Music.

Firm Celtic Connections favourites, they began the year by hosting their own separate shows at the festival in January. Other projects this year include the making of a new production of The Transatlantic Sessions and a BBC documentary series on the history of Scotland's music (presented by Phil), and of course, their celebratory tour.

Aly Bain biography

Aly Bain is Scotland's supreme traditional style fiddler. His playing is unique - driving, impassioned and pure - with vibrant, unmistakable tone that has earned him a following of ardent fans throughout the world. Born in Lerwick, Shetland in 1946 Aly began playing the fiddle at the age of eleven. In his early twenties, Aly headed to mainland Scotland. His dramatic playing, with great tone and technical ability brought early recognition as an outstanding musician of the folk music revival, and almost overnight, raised the level of expectation for music lovers throughout the country.

Aly embarked on a life of intensive playing, recording and travel that continues to this day. He helped establish the folk band Boys of the Lough with whom he toured extensively and recorded for many years. Simultaneously, Aly pursued a solo career in collaborative and television projects.

Although Aly's musical base is in Scotland his extensive travels have led to an appreciation and mastery of many kinds of music. He has applied this knowledge to the production of several networked television series bringing traditional music to a constantly widening audience.

Aly has received many honours for his services to music, including four Doctorates and an MBE, and numerous Honorary Citizenships in the USA. He continues to be an ambassador for Scotland abroad and a powerful advocate for traditional music.

His teaming up with brilliant accordionist/composer Phil Cunningham has added yet another dimension of appreciation for audiences everywhere. To date they have recorded six albums, released on Aly's own record label Whirlie Records. In 2005 they were awarded Best Duo in the annual BBC Folk Awards.

Phil Cunningham biography

Widely regarded as one of the most exciting and innovative accordion players on the contemporary music scene, Phil Cunningham has taken this instrument from strength to strength, setting the standards by which many young players fix their sights today.

His early work with leading Scots band Silly Wizard (1976-1986) reclaimed a place for the instrument in the traditional music world and his astonishing dexterity and musicality has delighted audiences across the world.

The accordion being only one of the strings to his bow, multi-instrumentalist Cunningham works extensively in the television and film world as a composer, music director and presenter. He is much sought after as a record producer and he manages to juggle all of these diverse commitments to enable him to continue touring with long time musical partner and friend Aly Bain.

His compositions are covered by musicians the world over, and he continues to write and add to his prolific repertoire. The depth and beauty of his slow airs is renowned among audiences and performers alike.

His proudest moments have been the premieres of his two orchestral suites for Symphony orchestra and Celtic instruments. His last piece Ceilidh was written for and performed by acclaimed Scots percussionist Evelyn Glennie and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

He teaches regularly, both children and adults alike, and is currently trying to establish a traditional youth orchestra in the Highlands of Scotland. Phil was awarded the MBE in 2002 for services to Scottish Music and was voted Best Instrumentalist in the inaugural Scottish Traditional Music Awards in 2003.