About Us
Back in the summer of 1994, three Lewis musicians met on the street in Stornoway and voiced an idea to form a club to enhance the music they enjoyed. This led to a public meeting being called in the Royal British Legion, Stornoway, in August of that year.
At that meeting, a ten year old fiddle player sat with his father, wondering what all the talking was about — he was anxious to get on with playing. Eventually, he took out his fiddle and started to play, becoming the first player of the Lewis and Harris Accordion and fiddle Club. Today, that same player, Alistair White from Tong, on the outskirts of Stornoway, is a professional musician with the Battlefield Band, travelling the world with them but still finds time to have a tune with his local club.
Thus, the present Lewis and Harris Accordion and Fiddle Club was born.
The Present Day
Meeting on a monthly basis, we aim to provide a platform for local players of all ages and abilities to entertain in front of a live audience: a daunting task at the best of times. This affords an opportunity for enthusiasts to be entertained by the cream of our traditional musicians from around the country.
Firmly on the programme schedules of community radio station Isles FM is the club's weekly programme of 'Accordion and Fiddle Favourites'. Each Saturday, between 5 and 6pm (repeated between 1.30 and 2.30pm the following Tuesday), a committee member or other enthusiastic volunteer take turns to present their choice of traditional music.
In recent years, we have formed firm friendships with similar clubs around the Highlands and Islands. Exchange visits have taken place to Uist, to Skye and to Rory MacLeod's Inverness Club for musical evenings.
Promoting accordion and fiddle music continues on an annual basis, with a tune composing competition that attracts many entries for the Bill Black Trohpy and £100 of prize money. Similarly, we sponsor accordion competitions at both senior and junior level at the annual Lewis Highland Games. Each year, the most improved players at both levels are recognised.
Dancing enthusiasts are well catered for by the club, with professional bands crossing the Minch to provide the best of "Take the Floor" music on Carnival Day in Stornoway and for our annual Christmas Dance.