Luke DanielsChris Stout
Chris grew up in Fair Isle until he was 7 years old where he caught his first glimpse of the fiddle when he was only 3! It was being played by friend Ewan Thomson who was 7 years old at the time but has subsequently made the art of violin making his career. Chris now play two of his instruments, a fiddle and viola.
He took the opportunity to play classical music at school and played traditional music at home with his father who plays the accordion. He took Chris to play at the Accordion and Fiddle clubs which was his introduction to travelling round the halls in Shetland and gave him his first performance experience.
1990 was an important year for Chris. He moved schools and became friendly with other young musicians who were mainly fiddle players. This group of youngsters were given the name "Fiddlers' Bid". They enjoyed frequent afternoon sessions, possibly in place of classes such as maths or English with their teacher Willie Hunter. Countless concert experiences at coffee evenings and such like came rolling in.
Having acquired the title "Young Fiddler of the Year" for his traditional fiddling, he also became Shetland's "Young Musician of the Year" for performing a classical repertoire. He moved to Glasgow at the age of 16 to study at the Douglas Academy of Music. After a spell there, he completed two degree's at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, graduating in 1999.
In 2000 Chris took part in a UK tour called "Fiddles on Fire" (organised by Folkworks)with fiddlers Dezi Donnelly (Manchester), Eliza Carthy (England) and Susanne Lundeng (Norway). This gave Chris his first independent break as a solo fiddle player on a national level. In 2002 also as part of a Folkworks tour Chris composed an Electro Acoustic piece for Phil Bancroft which was performed as part of the UK tour "Double Helix" which also included Alistair Anderson, Annie Whitehead and Trio AAB.
Chris has a wide range of musical abilities and interests including Electro Accoustic Composition, Jazz, Classical and traditional. With such a versatile outlook, Chris has been busy playing with bands such as Fiddlers Bid, The Finlay MacDonald Band, Salsa Celtica, Celtic feet and in a Duo with harpist Catriona MacKay. All this playing has taken Chris all over the world including Australia, South America, Scandinavia and Europe where his playing never fails to excite and inspire people from all walks of life.
Chris Stout's debut solo Cd titled First o' The Darkenin' was released in May 2004.
"Colourful, cosmopolitan, sparky and sophisticated, this was an adventurous display of 21st-century chamber folk." Sue Wilson ****
