IRVINE Folk Club is delighted that the special guest at their Burns Night on Wednesday, January 21 is the extremely talented Fiddler Alistair McCulloch. It’s not a Burns Supper. It’s a celebration of Burns at Irvine Folk Club.

From Ayr, Alistair McCulloch is very much sought after both as a performer and a tutor. His great versatility and breadth of repertoire alongside a huge sense of fun have kept him at the forefront of the tradition for almost 20 years.

Alistair learned classical violin at school while at home he was playing traditional music. Having studied music at University, his busy diary has taken him to 20 countries including China, Canada, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, USA and throughout Europe. As well as his solo gigs, he has his own trio – the other two members being Aaron Jones of Old Blind Dogs and ex-Capercaillie man Marc Duff. Alistair also plays with The Ian Cathcart Scottish Dance Band and Coila.

His skill as a tutor of the fiddle are much in demand. Last year he took part in the Swannanoa Gathering in North Carolina and the Southern Hemisphere International School of Scottish Fiddle in New Zealand. However, Alistair also offers lessons on Skype!

This month Alistair has the exciting privilege of playing the same Gregg violin which was played by Robert Burns. This arrangement comes courtesy of the National Trust for Scotland. It will therefore be great that Irvine Folk Club can bask in the reflected glory of the man who will play the very fiddle played by the Bard himself – in Irvine in the Burns season! Serendipity indeed.

It is shaping up to be a very enjoyable night of Burns music and song at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 21st January in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road. The Club starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB.