21st annual FifeSing festival showcases traditional singing over weekend of concerts

It provides a unique opportunity to meet, hear and talk with some of the finest exponents of traditional singing to be found today - and, of course, to participate in the singing at sessions and singarounds. The weekend includes concerts, sessions and talks on topics related to traditional song and culture.

Events are held at the Lumsden Memorial Hall Freuchie and the Community Hall in Falkland. Over the years, the festival has hosted many of the finest traditional singers from Scotland, England and Ireland, and the highlight is always the Old Songs and Bothy Ballad concert in Falkland Community Hall which will be headlined on Saturday by folk song legend Martin Carthy.

He is one of English folk music’s most influential singer/songwriters inspiring the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon as well as Richard Thompson. He is a master of the guitar and also plays the banjo, mandolin and dulcimer, performing traditional songs in his own unique and distinctive style. Twice a winner of the BBC Radio Folk awards Folk singer of the Year, Martin won their lifetime achievement award in 2014.

Guests this year include Allan Taylor who was raised hearing traditional music and song in Tornaveen in rural Aberdeenshire. He recently took second prize at the annual Champion of Champions’ Bothy Ballad Competition held each year in Elgin.

Local singer Ted Poletyllo, born in St. Andrews, is one of Scotland's finest traditional singers. Ted has been a great admirer of the traveller singers that he met at festivals, particularly the Auchtermuchty Festival in the 1980s, including Duncan Willamson, Willie McPhee and Betsy White.

Ellen Mitchell from Glasgow remembers a great aunt rattling out tunes on her granny’s piano and an uncle who was in a skiffle group - but it was the discovery of folk clubs and festivals that gave her an enthusiasm for traditional song. Vic Gammon, a performer of English traditional music, will be presenting a talk on the ballad Barbara Allen – perhaps the most widely known and popular of all the child ballads.

Pete Shepheasrd, FifeSing organise, said: , “A weekend of song from some great singers - what a fine way to welcome in the Spring.”