News / Between Islands
A COLLABORATIVE project involving acclaimed musicians from Shetland, Orkney and the Isle of Lewis will take to the stage in Lerwick this summer.
Between Islands, featuring local talent Arthur Nicholson as well as Orcadian Kris Drever and Lewis’ Willie Campbell, will perform at Mareel on July 18 as part of a short Scottish tour.
The project has seen the three musicians team together to create new material inspired by their shared island heritage.
The collaboration, which has been funded by Creative Scotland, Shetland Arts and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, will open its tour at the Hebridean Celtic Festival in Stornoway on July 15.
The trio will then play at the Stromness Town Hall in Orkney on July 17 before heading north to Shetland a day later. Air carrier Loganair has sponsored the travel for the tour.
Bryan Peterson of Shetland Arts said that the project would “unite the Scottish Island groups through creative collaborations with some of the finest artists from each area”.
Willie Campbell meanwhile added that the three musicians gelled during the songwriting process as a result of their shared experiences.
“I enjoyed every minute of the writing process for Between Islands,” he said.
“The three of us have our own distinct ways of approaching song writing, but without a doubt the environment you live in comes through so there’s definitely a strong presence of the islands in the songs and themes that are familiar to all three of us.
“I hadn’t heard Arthur’s or Kris’ songs before the project, but we clicked really easily in terms of writing. Also, voices don’t always blend and complement each other the way ours seem to.”
Tickets for the Between Islands Mareel gig will go on sale via Shetland Box Office from Friday.
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