Internationally recognised as a leading exponent of the English concertina, Frances took up the instrument while immersed in the rich musical culture of Shetland in the 1990s.
“She makes the concertina talk and sing” Living Tradition Magazine
Frances on the shore at Mallaig (photograph by Peter McNally).
Frances took up concertina while living in Shetland in the 1990s. Within a year she was touring professionally and playing regularly with some of Shetland’s greatest fiddle players. Through her work both as a performer and ethnomusicologist she has collected a number of traditional tunes and regularly delves into the archives for fresh material to perform.
Frances teaches individuals and groups, and has given a number of workshops for organisations including Scottish Culture & Traditions, Swaledale Squeeze, Button Boxes & Moothies, The National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music (Plockton) and University of Limerick.
Frances with Ronan Martin, next to the Old Ice House at Mallaig, West Lochaber (photograph by Peter McNally).
ALBUMS
Frances with Victor Weapenicappo, Daisy Cheechoo and James Cheechoo, Cree Village Ecolodge, Moose Factory, Ontario
Selected Appearances
Festivals
Boston Harbour Fiddle School
Broadstairs Folk Week
Bromyard Folk Festival
Button Boxes & Moothies Celtic Colours, Cape Breton, Canada
Cheltenham Folk Festival
Chester Folk Festival
Festival of Colours, Wanaka, New Zealand
Fiddle Frenzy, Lerwick, Shetland
North Atlantic Fiddle Convention, Aberdeen, Derry, St John’s Newfoundland
Orkney Folk Festival
Otley Black Sheep Folk Festival
Portsoy Traditional Boat Festival
SEALL Small Halls, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye
Shetland Folk Festival
Stonehaven Folk Festival
Tradfest, Edinburgh
Virufolk Festival, Estonia
Waskaganish 350 year anniversary celebrations, Quebec, Canada
Television/Radio/Film Appearances
Visit Scotland Advert (2007)
CBC North, Montreal (2014)
STV (2014)
Sunset Song (2015)
Concert Venues
Ibsenhuset, Skein, Norway
Riksscenen, Oslo, Norway
Herredshuset, Jessheim, Norway
Columbi Egg, Bergen, Norway
Hannesarholt, Reykjavik, Iceland
Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Ireland
The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
Stonehaven Folk Club
Edinburgh Folk Club
Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
Glenfarg Village Folk Club
Workshop Tuition
Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Ireland
Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Rostock, Germany
The National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music, Plockton
Swaledale Squeeze, Yorkshire
West Country Concertinas, Taunton
Button Boxes & Moothies, Aberdeen
Scottish Culture and Traditions (SC&T), Aberdeen
Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
Chiltinas, Bedfordshire
West Midlands Concertina Group, Wolverhampton
Concertinas Anonymous, Lewes