Alasdair Fraser

{{for|the former Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland|Alasdair Fraser (barrister)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{external links|date=May 2022}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Alasdair Fraser

| image = Alasdair Fraser (32922788006).jpg

| caption = Alasdair Fraser at the Celtic String Playhouse, 2017

| landscape = yes

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|5|14|df=y}}

| origin = Clackmannan, Scotland

| instrument = Fiddle

| genre = Scottish fiddle

| label = Culburnie

| associated_acts = Skyedance

| website = [http://www.alasdairfraser.com/ www.alasdairfraser.com]

}}

Alasdair Fraser (born 14 May 1955, Clackmannan, Scotland) is a Scottish fiddler, composer, performer, and recording artist.

Fraser operates Culburnie Records and is a leading artist on the label. He has founded various summer fiddling programs: the Valley of the Moon fiddle camp in California begun in 1984; Sierra Fiddle Camp in California begun in 2006;{{cite journal | title=The philosopher fiddler: as an educator, Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser has built as living legacy of talented, enthusiastic students | author=Shrader, Erin | journal=Strings | year=2007 | volume=21 | issue=7 | pages=51–54}} Crisol de Cuerda, a trad strings program in Spain begun in 2008; and Stringmania!, a trad strings program in Australia in 2016. Adept in various Scottish idioms, in recent years, with cellist Natalie Haas, he has helped reconstruct and revive the Scottish tradition of playing traditional music on violin and cello ("wee fiddle" and "big fiddle").{{cite journal | title=Outside in with Alasdair Fraser | author=Weir, Rob | journal=Sing Out! | year=2005 | volume=49 | issue=1 | pages=24–27 |type = includes a discography}}{{cite journal | title=Alasdair Fraser: Ancient voices, crystal truths | author=Maxham, R. E. | journal=Fanfare | year=2001 | volume=25 | pages=76–86}} Fraser lives near Grass Valley, California with his wife and two sons.Michael Simmons. "Alasdair Fraser: Scotland's Ambassador of Fiddling", Fiddler Magazine (Fall 2002), [http://www.fiddle.com/Articles.page?Index=19&ArticleID=18825 online issue]

He has won the Scottish National Fiddle Championship two times.{{cite news|url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/entertainment/scottish-fiddlers-santa-rosa/ |title=Scottish fiddlers to charm downtown Santa Rosa |work=The Press Democrat |last=Taylor |first=Dan |date=May 13, 2024 |accessdate=May 29, 2024}}

In December 2011, Fraser was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=Alasdair Fraser |date=24 October 2012 |url=https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/hall-of-fame/alasdair-fraser/ |publisher=Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame |accessdate=22 October 2018}}

In November 2023, the violin on which Fraser had performed for the previous forty years was stolen from a rental car in downtown Portland, Oregon, along with his favored bows, a cello, and music notations. The cello was found and returned the same day. The violin and bows were recovered by local music store David Kerr Violin Shop the following month and returned intact to Fraser.{{cite news |last=Green |first=Aimee |date=December 8, 2023 |title=World-class fiddler joyfully reunited with violin after thief swiped it from car in downtown Portland |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2023/12/world-class-fiddler-joyfully-reunited-with-violin-after-thief-swiped-it-from-car-in-downtown-portland.html |work=OregonLive|location=Portland, Oregon |access-date=December 9, 2023}}

File:Alex Salmond memorial service, 30 November 2024 - 24.jpg's memorial service in November 2024]]