The Amber Fiddle Award took place as part of the Perthshire Amber Festival and the results are as follows.

1st place (£1000 + The Niel Gow Trophy for one year): Gemma Donald, originally from Shetland, but now living in Falkirk. Gemma also won the award last year. This is the first time the same person has won it twice. Her winning tune is called “The Laird O’ Strathmill”;

2nd place (£500) – Karen Steven from Thurso. Her tune is called “The Victory Stone”. This was Karen’s third time in the final. She also came 2nd last year.

3rd place £(100) – Iain Anderson (Falkirk). His tune is “The Path to Faskally”.

Runners-up were:

Adam Sutherland (Glasgow) – “The Road to Errogie”

Milli Jameson (Nottingham) – “Miss Lucy Jameson”

Cath James (Sheffield) – “Snowing Up The Hill”

The judges were:

Bruce Macgregor (Blazin’ Fiddles / BBC Radio Scotland);

Kenny Hadden (Perthshire Amber Festival);

Roy Henderson (The Fiddle Tree);

Fiona Ritchie (Fiona Ritchie Productions)

The award, previously known as the Niel Gow International Fiddle Composition Award, was launched in 2008 to encourage creative fiddle competition and has attracted entrants from around the world.  The evening Wednesday 2 Nov) was presented by the Fiddle Tree (a non profit group promoting live music and dance in the Dunkeld and Birnam area) – this year’s award had a guest performance from The Wrigley Sisters – Jennifer & Hazel Wrigley from Orkney and the concert was promoted by The Fiddle Tree in association with Perthshire Amber Festival.

Sponsors of the award are Birnam CD, Bonskeid Music, Butterstone Studios, The Fiddle Tree and Fiona Ritchie Productions.

The award also received support from Perth & Kinross Council.

Source: Perthshire Amber Festival