Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer effortlessly blend traditional material with contemporary sounds. Their performances showcase new interpretations of old songs alongside original self penned tunes and new contemporary songs that are entirely at home in the tradition. They have developed a sound that is both familiar and fresh. Strong believers in letting the music tradition live and breathe through sensitive interpretation, Vicki and Jonny allow the melody to sing without any constraints.
Be entranced by the haunting nyckelharpa, amazed at the cow horn (one of the world’s earliest communication devices) and meet some of the bagpipes that didn’t come from Scotland.
Suitable for all ages, their evenings are packed with toe tapping tunes and songs of love, death, trains and dressing up (not always at the same time) all presented with sparkling gentle humour, lots of smiles and skillful musicianship.
Vicki Swan (Scottish smallpipes, Swedish nyckelharpa & oktavharpa, flute, English border pipes, Swedish bagpipes, double bass)
Following in her father’s footsteps Vicki is a second generation piper. Having begun the music ladder at the age of five, Vicki went on to study the double bass at the Royal College of Music, becoming the principal double bass and winning the solo double bass competition.
Vicki has now returned to her Swedish roots with the addition of the Swedish nyckelharpa, Swedish bagpipes and translating Swedish ballads. Vicki was a member of the 2013 European Nyckeharpa Orchestra, runs the Nyckelharpas at Halsway and is a tutor for the International Days of Nyckelharpa in Germany for 2014.
Jonny Dyer (Vocals, Guitars, Accordion)
Composer and competition-winning guitar player; Jonny’s outstanding technical ability, coupled with a wide-ranging musical taste has made him a tireless and forceful musical innovator.æ Jonny has been singing choral music and playing soul, jazz and folk for as long as he can remember.