SANDY BRECHIN
Accompanist
Sandy Brechin is one of Scotland’s best known accordionists, famous for his lightning-fast playing and hilarious on-stage humour. He has developed his own unique approach to the art of accordion playing and his innovative style is instantly recognisable. He was the first in Scotland to play professionally the small (48 bass) accordion, which is now his trademark and he is able to get a huge sound out of it. While studying at Edinburgh University, Sandy was a founder member of the ceilidh band Ceilidh Minogue and the Fierce Bad Rabbits and later the folk bands Burach and Seelyhoo, both of which went on to secure records deals with the prestigious Greentrax record label.
ABOUT SANDY
In the early 90s Sandy formed his own ceilidh band, The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience, which has grown into one of Scotland’s best known ceilidh bands. He also still regularly plays part-time with several other ceilidh bands such as Ceilidh Minogue, Cranachan and Ceilidhdonia.
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In 1996, Sandy founded his own record label Brechin All Records, which has now grown into one of Scotland’s most successful independent folk music labels. A talented composer, Sandy has published a book of his own compositions, Out of His Mind, and two teaching DVDs, Play Scottish Accordion Beginners and Intermediate, in conjunction with Taigh na Teud music publishers.
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He is the full-time accordion tutor at the National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton Feisean (Gaelic Festival) and has also and has also taught at many Feisean around Scotland, at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic College on the Isle of Skye, and Tinto Summer School in the borders, and has been a guest lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and at Edinburgh and Newcastle Universities.
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Sandy has a zany sense of humour and his one-liners keep the choir entertained. His popular YouTube videos of the past four years' worth of his weekly musical comedy Facebook Live show, Sandy on Sunday, are a must-watch. In 2023 he performed a debut one-man Fringe show Sandy Not Just on Sunday, based on his Facebook show, which featured his musical talents and his unique sense of humour.
READY TO JOIN?
Find out more about the Vintage Chorus: our rehearsal times, locations and more, by emailing us below.
