ABERDEEN TALKS - Musical Traditions of Northern Sailors

We're delighted to welcome Dr Frances Wilkins - senior lecturer in ethnomusicology at the Elphinstone Institute, to Michies Union Street.

Enjoy an audio-visual exploration of the music that emerged from the seventeenth century onwards, in the lives of those working in the Scottish whaling and fishing industries and for the Hudson’s Bay Company.

The talk is accompanied by archive recordings and Frances gives live performance of instrumental music from these times along with a wealth of anecdotes, photography and videography.

A compelling account of the importance of music among Scottish sailors and the impact of this music on those who came into contact with it.

Frances Wilkins is senior lecturer in ethnomusicology at the Elphinstone Institute (University of Aberdeen) and a professional musician. She has over twenty years’ experience working with musical communities in Scotland and Canada, particularly focusing on song, fiddle and dance traditions. She has curated exhibitions, developed sound archives and websites, written numerous articles and book chapters, and regularly gives public lectures on her research. Her first book, on North-East Scottish gospel singing, was published in 2018.

This is a FREE event but booking is essential, either in-person at the gift shop counter, by tel. 01224 585312 or via Eventbrite. The cafe will be open in advance, so why not also grab lunch, tea/coffee or one of our amazing homemade tray bakes or cakes!

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Host or Publisher Charles Michies