BIO (short)
BIO
Scottish Fish present a fresh take on traditional and contemporary Scottish and Cape Breton music. After growing up steeped in the Boston Celtic music scene, these five young women began touring at an early age, quickly enchanting domestic and international audiences with their youthful enthusiasm, creative arrangements, and sensitive performances. As described by a concertgoer, "this powerhouse quintet wows listeners with a luscious and exciting sound, at times five instruments sharing one voice, and others a dynamic orchestra of harmony. Their years of friendship cultivate a truly unique musical bond. Their love for each other and the music they create is a gift they offer to anyone willing to listen."
Scottish Fish have performed at a wide variety of venues and festivals across the U.S. and Europe, including Boston Celtic Music Festival, Bellingham Celtic Festival, and Festival de Ortigueira. Their music and performances have earned them features on WGBH, KALW, and in American Girl and Folkworld Magazines; attracted the attention of programs such as America's Got Talent; and secured an international audience of over three hundred thousand followers across social media platforms. In 2017, the group released their debut album, "Splash," and followed it with "Tidings," a 5-track holiday EP, in 2019. Their newest record, "Upscale," produced by pianist and composer Neil Pearlman, was released in October, 2022, marking the band’s ten year anniversary. Scottish Fish expect their third full-length album to be released in 2025.
Scottish Fiddler Hanneke Cassel has described the Scottish Fish sound as “both incredibly musical, and just a little unusual.”
“Individually they are all creative and talented,” writes Cassel, “and together they spark each other, pushing each other even further to make amazing music.”
Described as "both very traditional and highly flexible" by Folkworld Magazine's Alex Monaghan, and as "one of the most energetic and creative acts to take root in the local Celtic music scene this century" by Boston Irish Reporter Sean Smith, Scottish Fish present a fresh take on traditional and contemporary Scottish and Cape Breton music. After growing up steeped in the Boston Celtic music scene, these five young women began touring at an early age, quickly enchanting domestic and international audiences with their youthful enthusiasm, creative arrangements, and sensitive performances. As described by a concertgoer, "this powerhouse quintet wows listeners with a luscious and exciting sound, at times five instruments sharing one voice, and others a dynamic orchestra of harmony. Their years of friendship cultivate a truly unique musical bond. Their love for each other and the music they create is a gift they offer to anyone willing to listen."
Press
“Both very traditional and highly flexible,” the Scottish Fish sound features “skillful fiddle melodies and harmonies, imaginative bass lines and rhythms, and spine-tingling treatments” of traditional tunes that render them into “modern masterpieces”
– Alex Monaghan, Folkworld Magazine (2023)
“One of the most energetic and creative acts to take root in the local Celtic music scene this century… the Scottish Fish ensemble has made the transition from carrying the mantel of the ‘future of Celtic music’ to thoroughly occupying the present”
– Sean Smith, the Boston Irish Reporter (2023)
[The Scottish Fish Sound is] “both incredibly musical and just a little unusual... individually they are all creative and talented, and together they spark each other, pushing each other even further to make amazing music”
– Hanneke Cassel, Scottish fiddler, as quoted in the Boston Irish Reporter (2018)