JENNA REID, FIDDLER
Where is it?
Quarff, Shetland.
Why do you go there?
My mum and dad still live there in my childhood home. It's a beautiful, small collection of houses towards the south mainland of Shetland.
Over the years, I've returned home many times for performances and summer schools, but, aside from work, it's the place I call home and it's important for me to make the journey as often as possible.
Slipping back into the comfort of home, knowing most folk out and about, long walks, fish and chips. Most of all, I want my children to know Shetland.
How often do you go?
As a family we try to go once a year. If I'm heading home to Shetland for work, we often try and combine it with downtime and bring the family.
How did you discover it?
I was born and raised in Shetland. My music career stemmed from my early years of learning the fiddle at school. I had some of the best tuition and encouragement from inspiring teachers, the late Willie Hunter, Trevor Hunter, Margaret Robertson and Tom Anderson.
My grandad lived in Lerwick – he was a retired bank manager – hence the move to Shetland in my father's early childhood.
We had magical holidays in Shetland as children, renting a cottage in Yell; a sweet little wooden house in Nibon; weekends in Papa Stour. This went hand in hand with exciting trips to Scotland's mainland to see our maternal grandparents in Ayrshire.
What's your favourite memory?
Being outside until dark, carefree and safe as houses running across fields and hills. Fiddle lessons with Willie Hunter. I was completely in awe of him and worked tirelessly to emulate his fiddle playing, full of vigour and heart.
Sessions in the Lounge Bar with Harris Playfair at the piano and countless fiddles playing reels for hours on end. Harris would routinely take the front of the piano off and from my seat I would watch in awe as the hammers danced up and down at breakneck speed.
Who do you take?
My children and my husband.
What do you take?
A camera. My fiddle to play tunes.
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What do you leave behind?
Work, diaries and busy life.
Sum it up in five words.
Rugged. Calming. Serene. Enriching. Bracing.
What travel spot is on your post-lockdown wish list?
Iceland. My husband and I travelled there some years ago and we'd love to return with our children. It was a stopover on the way to New York in early spring. Bright, chilly days with strolls through the streets and lanes, coffee outside and local crafts within gorgeous shops.
READ MORE: An enchanting 'secret garden' only a stone's throw from the bustle of Edinburgh
Harpa is the concert hall that is beautifully positioned on the waterfront of Reykjavik, a modern building that encapsulates the Northern Lights in its lighting design. When you see it lit up in the darkness, it's an amazing sight.
Jenna Reid & Harris Playfair with Mr McFall's Chamber will perform at the Edinburgh International Festival on August 19. Visit eif.co.uk
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