Scottish Fish

SFS is delighted to welcome the energetic Scottish Fish back to our stage for our opening Fall concert! 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 fiddle-forward infusion of original and traditional 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.”

The five members of Scottish Fish, now in their twenties, came together when they were young girls (aged 7-11) at Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School off the coast of Boston, MA. Originally naming themselves after Swedish Fish candy in what they thought was a very creative pun, Scottish Fish’s early music and experiences together were characterized by childish fun. After nearly fifteen years of friendship and bandhood, that sense of playfulness is still present in their sound and the atmosphere of their concerts today.

In their decade of bandhood, the Fish have performed at a wide variety of venues and festivals across the U.S. and Europe, including Celtic Connections (Scotland), Festival Interceltique de Lorient (France), and Festival de Ortigueira (Spain).

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.”