Traditional music at Swindon's Arts Centre (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Traditional music at Swindon's Arts Centre

KATHRYN Tickell, who brings her band to the Arts Centre, Swindon on Monday, September 6 at 8pm, has her roots in the North Tyne Valley of Northumberland where many of her relatives still play traditional music and where her father is an acclaimed performer of the songs of the area.

Kathryn took up the small pipes at the age of nine, and by the time she was 13 had won all the traditional open smallpipes competitions, and was rapidly making a name for herself as a fiddle player.

She released her first album, On Kielderside, aged 16 and turned professional two years later, in 1986.

Since then she has maintained her position at the very top of the folk music tree and has toured extensively with her band since 1990, playing with such prestigious names as Sting (at Carnegie Hall, New York) and also composing music for the theatre, radio and schools television.

In 1997 she founded the Young Musicians Fund, managed by Tyne and Wear Foundation, to help young people in the North East to realise their musical potential.

Kathryn is now out touring with a young and exciting new band whose members are melodian wizard Julian Sutton, multi-instrumentalist Joss Clapp and the youngest member of the Tickell family, fiddle player Peter. As well as Kathryn's and Julian's own compositions, the traditional tunes of Northumberland and the borders are well represented.

Linked by Kathryn's inimitable introductions, the lively fiddle music and haunting pipe tunes continue to delight both UK and international audiences.

Tickets from the box office on 01793 614837.