I interviewed Jan Tappan, Director of the Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles in anticipation of the group’s annual spring concert. This year the concert will be held on Saturday, April 12th  in Hermosa Beach with their featured guest artist, Katie McNally, accompanied by guitarist Collin Cotter, followed by a workshop and house concert by Katie McNally in Moorpark on April 13^th.

The Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles is the oldest Strathspey and Reel Society in the United States. For over 44 years, they have delighted audiences throughout Southern California with the lively, energetic and irresistibly uplifting music of Scotland, the Shetland Islands, Cape Breton Island and Ireland. Directed by internationally known Scottish fiddler Jan Tappan, and frequently joined by world-renowned guest artists, the Scottish Fiddlers have become a Southland favorite.

During our conversation, I asked Jan some questions about the history, establishment, values and accomplishments of the Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles (SFLA). Below are my topics with information from our conversation.

This year marks the 44th year of the SFLA. What’s been accomplished in those years as the group has grown and evolved?

The Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles was established by Scottish fiddler Colin Gordon in 1981, shortly after he had participated in – and won – the Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Competition in Southern California. Colin was from Scotland and invited fiddlers from that event to gather at his home to play Scottish tunes. Soon, Colin and his wife, Shauna Pickett-Gordon, formally formed the Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles when they moved to Eagle Rock.  Jan joined the group in 1982 and eventually became the director in 1989 when Colin and Shauna relocated to Northern California. Along with her directorship, Jan is an internationally known fiddler, fiddle teacher and Scottish fiddle competition judge.

As noted above, the group is distinguished as the oldest Strathspey and Reel Society in the United States. Strathspey and reel societies, which are common in Scotland, are made up of professional and amateur musicians who play the traditional music of Scotland.

The group is affiliated with The Scottish Fiddlers of California, a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to teach, perform, and promote Scottish traditional fiddle and associated art forms. The group consists of two Strathspey and Reel societies, in Los Angeles and in the Bay area, and Alasdair Fraser’s two summer camps:  The Sierra Fiddle Camp held in June and the Valley of the Moon Fiddle School held in late August.

Famed Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser was a pivotal influence in the early years of Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles. He visited Southern California both as a frequent guest at concerts, and as a teacher to help develop fiddlers’ traditional music skills and to expand the group’s repertoire. The group has always been interested in Scottish music’s connection to its historic influences from other countries and evolution across the world over time. Of particular interest to the group is the music of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Ireland, Wales, Brittany, and Scandinavia.

The group was especially honored to be invited to participate in the Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association festival concert in 2023, held at The Gaelic College in St. Anne’s in Nova Scotia. Katie McNally was one of the instructors at the college during the festival week and will also be one of the principal instructors at the Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddle School in August this year.

The Cape Breton Fiddlers Association is the oldest Strathspey and Reel Society in North America, and Jan told me that the whole island is filled with activities around music all summer.  Also interesting is that Nova Scotia’s Scottish music reflects most accurately what this music sounded like during the notorious Highland clearances of the 1700s, when many fiddlers moved from Scotland to Cape Breton, bringing their music with them.

How are new players integrated into the group? Are there prerequisites or standards that apply to new players?

No prior experience or education is required. Having interest is enough to be included and beginners are welcomed. The group focuses on learning by ear, both in learning tunes and learning the instrument. This applies even if someone has been trained in classic forms – they still encourage players to learn by ear. She explained that this is because traditional tunes are somewhat idiosyncratic and are difficult to put into a structure of musical notation. Complex rhythms typically rule and must be heard and felt instead of read on the page. She explained that fiddlers choose to use gracings, left hand ornamentation, and specific bowings to emphasize particular rhythms, and it’s helpful to listen to the style as you learn new tunes

Have you done the spring concert at other venue locations?  Has the SFLA ever toured nationally or internationally? If not, would you like to tour?

The group is primarily a Southern California organization and performs for a variety of events each year throughout Southern California. The spring concert has been in Hermosa Beach for many years but has been performed at other venues in Southern California in the past.  Jan stated that they would love to tour more in future.

What is the current number of players in the group?

Currently they number 50 members. Performers range from 10 to 20 players at smaller events and generally 30 to 40 at the annual spring concert in April.

Are there educational opportunities for young people to get involved and learn an instrument through your organization?

Young people who love Scottish and other Celtic traditional music and play an instrument are always welcome to join SFLA’s activities. We welcome anyone who is interested in playing with the group. Members often teach tunes at their gatherings.  The group also sponsors workshops with guest artists and Scottish fiddlers traveling through Southern California. This year their guest artist Katie McNally will be doing a workshop in Moorpark from 11 am to 1 pm the day after the concert. After the workshop, Katie will be joined by guitarist Colin Cotter for a concert performance.

How often does the group meet for practice or jam sessions?

During a typical year, the Scottish Fiddlers meet for jam sessions about once a month in addition to tune learning sessions and rehearsals for the annual concert which vary in frequency through the year.

Who curates the repertoire for the concert?

The process is collaborative, and suggestions are entertained by the director from within the membership, often featuring original tunes written by members. At that point, Jan and her tune committee will begin to form the repertoire from within the tunes that speak most powerfully to the players. When they play songs with singers, the arrangements are created to feature instrumental sections as well.

The Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles’ spring concert information is below, with more about the group from their website. 

Concert Information:

Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles Spring Concert WITH SPECIAL GUEST KaEe McNally
Hermosa Beach Community Theatre

Children under 12 free

Spring Concert –  Saturday, April 12, 2025, 7:30pm: Tickets

Fiddle Workshop with Katie McNally – Sunday, April 13, 11 am to 1 pm: Tickets  

House Concert with Katie McNally – Sunday, April 13, 3 to 5pm:  Tickets

From their website:

Get ready for an electrifying toe-tapping, hand-clapping evening as the Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles return to the Hermosa Beach Community Theatre on Saturday, April 12, for the 41st edition of their Annual Concert, this year with featured guest Boston fiddler Katie McNally. Katie’s fiddling has been described as “Brisk and inventive…taking no prisoners” (The Scotsman) and “Formidable” (The Boston Globe).

A fiery program of marches, strathspeys, reels and jigs in the rousing Scottish tradition will be performed by the 30-member orchestra featuring fiddles, cellos, basses, drums, piano, harps, accordions, whistles, bagpipes, and Gaelic song.

For more information visit the Fiddlers at http://scottishfiddlers.org/ or email info@scottishfiddlers.org

For more information on Katie McNally, visit katiemcnally.com   

For more information on Colin Cotter, visit https://colincotter.com/

Everything to know about the Scottish Fiddlers

For nearly 50 years, the Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles have delighted audiences throughout Southern California with the lively, energetic and irresistibly uplifting music of Scotland, the Shetland Islands, Cape Breton Island and Ireland. Their playing is characterized by hard-driving reels and strathspeys (a slow dance tune), hauntingly beautiful airs and sweet waltzes. Directed by internationally known Scottish fiddler Jan Tappan, and frequently joined by world-renowned guest artists, the Scottish Fiddlers have become a Southland favorite. The community orchestra welcomes musicians at all levels from beginner to professional.

Director Jan Tappan is an internationally known Scottish fiddler, educator, competition judge and performer. She has been playing the fiddle since 1981 and counts John Turner, Alasdair Fraser and Alastair Hardie among her mentors. Ms. Tappan has played with the Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles since the group was founded in 1981 and assumed the role of director in 1989.

Jan Tappan is a co-founder, with Alasdair Fraser, Sally Ashcraft and Bonnie Thompson, of the prestigious Valley of the Moon Fiddle Camp in Northern California. She has taught Scottish fiddle workshops across the U.S., including in Virginia, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Washington, Oregon, and North Carolina. Locally, Ms. Tappan has taught at Camp Kiya in Tehachapi, and at the California Traditional Music Society’s Summer Solstice Festivals. She also teaches private lessons.

Fiddle competitions throughout the U.S. have relied on Jan Tappan’s abilities as a competition judge. She has judged the U.S. National Scottish Fiddling championship on multiple occasions, as well as competitions at the Virginia Scottish Games and Festival, the New Hampshire Highland Games, the Skagit Valley Games, the Houston Highland Games, the Portland Highland Games and the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.

Jan Tappan is currently the Vice President of the Scottish Fiddlers of California, and of Scottish Fiddling Revival. She served on the Board of the California Traditional Music Society as Vice President and in other capacities for over twenty years. Ms. Tappan is credited in Ken Perlman’s book Fiddle Tunes of Prince Edward Island for her help in his Earthwatch study of Prince Edward Island music.

Jan Tappan has toured Scotland twice, once with the New Hampshire Strathspey and Reel Society, and once with the Scottish Fiddlers of San Francisco. She has also performed in Germany, Italy, and at Niji No Sato in Japan. In the U.S., she has performed at Highland Games in many different states, the Asilomar Dance Camp, the Pinewoods Dance Camp, and Scottish Country Dance weekends and Robert Burns’ suppers throughout Southern California. Locally, she has also given performances at the Canadian Embassy in Beverly Hills, Cal Tech, the Queen Mary, Marineland and the Wiltern Theater. The Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles, performed with the Waterboys and Sharon Shannon when they were on tour in Los Angeles.

Repertoire

The Fiddlers primarily perform traditional music from Scotland, Cape Breton, and the Shetland Islands, as well as standard American and Irish fiddle tunes. Its repertoire includes marches, jigs, strathspeys, reels, waltzes and slow airs. Concerts typically include Scottish dancers and singers. Stacey Tappan, who sings professionally in operas across the country, frequently performs with the Fiddlers, along with her sister Christina Tappan Forst.

The Fiddlers are passionate about Scottish music. Professionals and amateurs alike join the orchestra for the joy of playing the hauntingly beautiful melodies and hard driving rhythms of Scottish music and sharing the experience with the public. The group currently has over 40 members, including fiddlers, guitarists, cellists, bass players, clarinetists, accordion players, drummers and a pianist.

Recordings

The Fiddlers have issued five recordings to date. The most recent, “Gold,” is a compilation of the best numbers recorded at the Fiddlers’ past annual spring concerts. Other recordings include “Our Best to You,” “California Ceilidh,” “Scottish Fiddlers and Friends,” and “Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles in Concert.” The group has also recorded two videos: “15th Anniversary Concert,” and “A Celtic Celebration.”

Today

2024 marked the Fiddlers 40th Annual Spring Concert in the Los Angeles area. Held at the Hermosa Beach Playhouse, the Annual Spring Concert each year draws a packed house of hundreds of Scottish music fans for an evening of lively performances by the Fiddlers and guest fiddlers, pipers and dancers. The Fiddlers perform at Highland Games all over Southern California, including Scottish Fest in Costa Mesa, and the Seaside Games in Ventura. The Fiddlers also have performed at the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival, the L.A. Zoo, movie premiers, fundraisers, concerts and plays, traditional music gatherings, weddings and private events.