06/01/2026
HillGigs is bursting into 2026 on Saturday 7th February.
The wonderful news is that we have a return for with two of Scotland's finest traditional music players, Alastair Savage and Alice Allen. These are two highly regarded Scottish musicians, who blew us away at their first HillGigs show in 2022. See below for more details.
The show will begin at 20.00 in the house at 33 The Hill, so please get in sharp for what will be a great night. As usual, just get in touch with me to book your seat by messaging Charlie Gracie on fb, calling me on 07846 296832 or emailing me at [email protected]
(It's BYOB and we supply glasses.)
As always, we don't have a specified ticket price - we rely on honest donations and all the money goes to the artists. We ask you to pay what you can or what you feel the gig is worth, but we aim for an average of £15.00 per person so we can continue to support wonderful professional musicians like Alice and Alastair – this is what they do for their living.
This will be a great night of traditional Scottish music with a twist.
Here's more about Alastair and Alice...
Alastair Savage is originally from Ayrshire and has performed traditional and classical music throughout his life. He was winner of the ‘Land O’ Burns’ Scots fiddle competition in his youth and studied classical violin at the Royal Scottish Academy Of Music And Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire) and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He has been a member of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra since 1997 with whom he has toured Japan, South Korea, China, USA, South America and throughout Europe, as well as appearing as traditional fiddle soloist on BBC Radio 3, Radio Scotland and on national radio in the USA. As a composer, his music has been used by BBC Alba for documentary purposes and in 2021 he was shortlisted for a Scottish Award In New Music. As a session musician, Alastair has worked with many top artists crossing different musical genres, including Belle and Sebastian, Karen Matheson, Justin Currie and Ricky Ross. Other folk music projects include working with the Grit Orchestra and the legendary Scottish band ‘The Whistlebinkies.
Alice Allen is well established on the Scottish cello scene. She lives in Gartmore, though from Aberdeenshire originally. She was formerly young artist in residence with the Scottish Ensemble. Her playing style is deeply rooted in both the Scottish music tradition and the classical music tradition and she is tutor of Scottish traditional cello at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Now one of the country’s top freelance classical musicians, Alice works with many of the country’s leading performing groups including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and as a member of the folk group Lyre, Lyre. Alongside this she has studied traditional cello with leading instrumentalist Natalie Haas and has recorded with former BBC young traditional musician of the year Robyn Stapleton.
Here's what the critics say...
‘a must for aficionados, a primer for anyone with a notional interest in Scottish traditional music’ ( Keith Bruce, The Herald)
‘spectacular in simplicity, scope and delivery’ ( Tim Carroll, Folkwords)
‘There is a breathtaking effortlessness to Savage’s musical art: technical and
intricate without ever overshadowing the music itself’ ( Su O’Brien, Bright Young Folk)
‘Alastair Savage is a master of the instrument, both in theory and practice’ ( Ellie Willis, Edinburgh Three Weeks)
‘panache, grace and affection’ ( Jim Gilchrist, The Scotsman)
