Nothing can bring people together more than music.
Despite being more than 7,000 kilometres apart, fiddler Nellie Quinn, who was born and raised in Victoria, and guitarist Chris Meredith, who grew up in Drumnadrochit, northern Scotland, are coming together for a tour to promote their first album.
Quinn and Meredith will be performing a house concert at the Beaton house along with a workshop on Thursday, Feb. 23.
The cost is $20 for the concert, $20 for the workshop (fiddle and guitar) or $30 for both. For more information, contact Joyce Beaton at 250-752-1162 or beatonqualicum@gmail.com.
Quinn and Meredith met about six or seven years ago in Newcastle. Quinn was studying music in the U.K. where she met Meredith who was also studying at Newcastle University, honing in his skills as a guitarist, composer and arranger.
In 2013, Quinn moved back to Canada, but Meredith said, “We just decided that we couldn’t live without seeing each other.”
So in 2014, the two came together for a brief tour.
Meredith said they started working on the album during their previous tour.
“What was really tricky was when Nellie wasn’t in the country and trying to work on it from overseas,” Meredith said of the album which was recorded in Newcastle.
Depite all of the modern technology, Meredith said there is “nothing quite like being in the room together to work.”
“It (the distance) was a huge obstacle,” he said. “It was a real sort of testament to our ability as musicians and our friendship to put something cohesive together.”
Quinn said recording the album in the city they met was really nice and felt really natural, adding that they recorded the nine tracks in three days.
“It’s definitely tricky coming from two countries, working over the Internet, sending little sound clips,” she said. “It’s a different process than a local band. When we do get together, we take advantage of the time.”
Quinn said the album is progressive folk, adding it’s a mix of Canadian and Scottish folk music.
Quinn began playing music at the age of nine. Quinn, who is left-handed, started playing the violin the opposite way or cross-fiddle style. She started studying classical music where it was recommended she switch to the conventional right-handed way of playing fiddle.
Quinn studied classical music for three years before returning to her first love, folk music.
For more information about Quinn, visit www.nelliequinn.com.
Meredith began as a young fiddler player from the highlands, winning competitions in Scotland and completing his fiddle education at Scotland’s Aberdeen City Music School of Excellence.
Merdith has applied his skills to numerous musical ventures such as his duo with Quinn, but also a duo with Amy Thatcher and Scottish trio NE3Folk.
For more information about Meredith, visit www.chrismeredithmusic.co.uk.
