From the unlikely Celtic musical redoubt of Whangarei, Emily Roughton has quietly established herself as one of Aotearoa’s foremost fiddlers. In 2011, she toured the UK with the late, great band, Fiddlelore, where an entranced local commentator enthused: “They play Scottish fiddle tunes with an energy and passion that makes them a joy to watch.” On her return home, Emily became Scottish Fiddle Champion at the Waipu Highland Games in 2012 and 2013. Highlights of her career to date include performances at the Auckland Folk Festival, Auckland Arts Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe – and conducting the Auckland Folk Festival Youth Orchestra. She has taught Scottish fiddle workshops in association with the NZ Gaidhealtachd, Celticanz and The String Workshop with Rangitoto College, and in her rare spare time she gigs! Current collaborations are with bands Three Point Turn and Rough Town.

+ What I can teach you

I offer group workshops where we learn tunes and then arrange them together. The focus is on fun and learning to play with a group of people – to listen to each other and enjoy playing music together. You will discover both traditional and modern fiddle tunes and learn about the techniques and ornamentation used in the Scottish fiddle tradition. While you don’t only have to play the fiddle to join in, it is the primary instrument we’ll be teaching. So if you’re confident you can pick up melodies reasonably quickly, jump in and fire away!

+ My teaching style

My teaching style comes from the tradition of learning tunes by ear. We break them down into smaller bite-size pieces, then put those pieces together. While there are some elements of technique, the focus is on the groove not so much on the bowing!

+ My first significant musical moment

I don’t think there was one big moment – more the cumulation of many smaller magical ones. I have always loved music. Dad used to play the mandolin and we would sing songs around the dinner table when we were kids.
In terms of getting hooked on fiddle music, when I was 15 I went to a music festival where Ronan Martin (Scotland) and Kenny Ritch (Ben the Hoose) played a session in the festival kitchen and they were all still going strong at 6am the next day. It was an epic night I’ll never forget. I was sitting right in the middle of it, surrounded by these incredible players, soaking it all in. To this day I’ve never heard a session like it. I remember leaving the festival with everybody talking about it and knew that’s how I wanted to play.

+ Most enduring influence

My music teachers – Christine Coop (piano) and Penelope Foote (violin). Inspirational, talented and incredibly creative women who gifted me the love of music and influenced my life in so many ways.

+ Most thrilling gig I've played

So many gigs. So much fun and hilarity. It’s really all about the people you’re travelling and playing music with! While on tour in Scotland we lost a really good gig at Eilean Donan castle and instead ended up being slotted at a tiny pub in the highlands. Then who should walk in but one Brad Pitt, fresh off a motorbike tour of Scotland, in the middle of filming World War Z. He sat and listened for a bit, had a chat and hopped back on his bike. That was crazy. But the 2019 Trad Disco at the Auckland Folk Festival was probably my favourite gig to date. It was just a big, fun, crazy dance party. Simple and fun, great band mates and great tunes.

+ Who I'd most like to jam with?

Let’s say - Mark Knopfler, Bob Dylan, Chris Thile, John Mayer and Stéphane Grappelli. Can I pick a chef to cook for us? Jamie Oliver. Nigella on desserts.

+ Fave youtube clip

Don’t know. Well there is this one where an eagle kidnaps a hamster, it’s very hard to explain; I’d have to show you!