Argyll’s Archie joins with top violinists playing for Ukraine
Argyll fiddle maestro Archie McAllister said he was ‘humbled’ to be part of an international violin choir of support for the people of Ukraine, writes Colin Cameron.
Pulled together by English violinist Kerenza Peacock, the online ensemble drew top violinists from no fewer than 27 countries to perform a short but heart-rending performance of Ukraine folk tune Verbovaya Doschechka.
The performers included young Ukrainian musicians playing from their homeland under the shadow of Putin’s war.
Kerenza said she had befriended violinists in Ukraine via Instagram, many of whom were hiding in their basements.
She added: ‘Literally making Molotov cocktails inbetween practising their scales.’
Kerenza decided to put together a short video of violinists around the world accompanying them in solidarity – an international violin choir of support.
One of them, young virtuoso Illia Bondarenko, filmed himself playing in his basement shelter, but had to do so between bombs. His video leads the performance.
‘I then asked other violinists in Ukraine and colleagues from around the world to play along with him in harmony,’ said Kerenza.
She continued: ‘In the space of 48 hours, I received videos from 94 violinists, representing 27 different countries.
‘Nine other young violinists sheltering in Ukraine join in unison, and are accompanied in harmony by players from the London Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, and top violinists from the USA, New Zealand, Belgium, Georgia, Poland, South Korea, Netherlands, South Africa, Moldova, Germany, India, and the entire violin section of the Munich Chamber Orchestra.
‘There are studio players from Hollywood, violinists from Adele’s band and Hans
Zimmer’s tour and violinists who have recorded on most of the major albums and film soundtracks.
‘We have renowned Scottish fiddle players and Indian violinists and top fiddle players including Mark and Maggie O’Connor, Brittany Haas, Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek) and Gabe Witcher (Punch Brothers) – and international soloist Daniel Hope who had, by coincidence, once coached Illia.
‘Never before have violinists gathered together from so many countries. Or collaborated across so many different styles of violin playing.’
Among the cream of violinists who stepped forward were Campbeltown man Archie McAllister, now living in Lochgilphead, and Chris Stout from Shetland.
Archie, who displayed the Argyll (Campbell) flag in his online performance, said: ‘I was asked by Kerenza, who I met at a concert we both performed at on Islay for the centenary of the sinking of the Tuscania.
‘She asked me if I would play in harmony with the violin choir for Ukraine. I never had to give it a second thought.
‘I felt humbled watching this back as the young Ukrainian violinist Illia Bondarenko was leading the choir.
‘It is a very emotional thing to be involved with, as you feel the reality of it and just hope these folk can overcome this terrible situation.’
On the domestic front, Archie has recently begun performing again with accordionist Sileas Sinclair, from Connel, as a duo and with family members Alex and Arran in different guises.
Look out too for Archie on tour with Skipinnish, and he said he’d be ‘in great order to get back to it after such a long spell’.
Keen to pass on his expertise, Archie also teaches fiddle in Lochgilphead and has been tutoring over Skype to pupils as far afield as Switzerland and Germany.
Kerenza concluded: ‘Violinists are a fellowship who all have rosin and broken E strings in common, but sadly some are currently having to think about how to arm themselves, and hiding in bomb shelters instead of playing Beethoven or bluegrass.
‘The violin has traditionally been an instrument through which to express grief. One Ukrainian violinist told me that as she was playing this, her brothers were heading off to fight.
‘We are playing for peace, and encourage everyone to find a way to help Ukraine.’
The video is in YouTube at: https://youtu.be/ mQSIeD-x6dQ