Orkney fiddler and photographer Louise Bichan will perform at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, at The Gem in Bethel.

Bichan will embark on a unique musical and sentimental journey, between her native northern Scottish Isles and coast-to-coast Canada, in the footsteps of her late paternal grandmother  Margaret, née Tait (1925-2008). With a dilemma of the heart to solve, Tait, herself a beautiful singer, spent six months in Canada in 1950, before returning to Orkney to wed.

Now carving her own path in New England’s vibrant music scene, Bichan is set to release her second record, “The Lost Summer,” this spring. She takes to the road with Conor Hearn playing guitar, Brendan Hearn on cello, and Ethan Setiawan on mandolins, to present an evening of lively fiddle tunes from Scotland and beyond, weaving through stories of connection, to people, nature, the past, and the possibility of the future.

Bichan is a USA-based Scottish musician and photographer who uses both mediums to tell stories old and new. Growing up in the remote but culturally rich Orkney islands, a place where creativity abounds and playing music has been a part of the social fabric for centuries, gave Louise a solid grounding in music. She started playing fiddle at the age of 7 after witnessing the magic of live music: “I remember the butterflies in the tummy feeling when watching concerts at the Orkney Folk Fest as a kid, wanting to be a part of it all.” The sense of community and belonging it gave her was infectious; she pestered her parents to let her learn.

In the years since, she has honed her craft, first amongst the cream of Scottish folk at Glasgow’s renowned session scene and performances with talent like Orkney group Fara and award-winning singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni, before a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, Boston, where she developed her style further. Masterfully blending traditional and classical arrangements, her music is thoughtful, and complex, curious and playful. She composes in response to her roots and the world around her; weaving through stories of connection, to people, nature, the past and the possibility of the future.

Tickets are “Pay What You Can” benefiting Bethel Area Arts & Music, a 501c3 nonprofit. Doors open at 12 p.m. The Gem is located at 48 Cross St., Bethel. For more information, visit thegemtheater.com or call 207-824-8248.

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