Margaret Schlink, director - fiddle, viola

 

Music you listen to in the car …

Scottish fiddle mostly, but classical too

 

Favourite Scottish tune …

‘The Mathematician’ by James Scott Skinner; there are also many contemporary musicians writing fantastic stuff

 

Favourite band …

Blazing Fiddles

 

Have you attended any fiddle camps? Which was your favourite?

Fiddlingscool with Greg Borland in Hatton Castle (Scotland) was a memorable one; staying in a real castle learning tunes and playing in local sessions at night. The SHISSF camps in Wellington were fantastic, and the latest ScotstringNZ in Auckland was heaps of fun; they all have such amazing tutors. It wasn’t a camp, but a week in Melbourne playing with the Hjaltibonhoga Fiddlers (Shetland) in the touring show of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo was pretty special too.

 

Other types of music or music groups you are involved in …

String quartet and orchestra (on viola)

 

Your day job …

Teaching violin and viola

 

Other passions (beside music!) …

Art and design, cooking, trying to grow food!

 

Favourite activity with Perth Scottish Fiddlers …

They’re a great group and anything we do is lots of fun! I am continually grateful and happy for their support, friendship and music making.

 

Favourite non-Scottish music …

Anything with an orchestra or violins or violas!

 

Was it hard to learn to play by ear …

It was at first, but you get better the more you do. And it is so liberating to play without music!