An exciting fusion of Scottish folk and Mediterranean, North African and Middle Eastern rhythmic textures
The Eyland Project is a new multi-cultural music outfit that blends Scottish folk music with Mediterranean, North African and Middle Eastern rhythmic patterns. In creating The Eyland Project’s original music, percussionist Renzo Spiteri, guitarist David Boyter and cellist Sophie Wishart draw on their diverse heritage to create a melting pot of musical ideas, giving The Eyland Project a distinctive sound with an exciting fusion of moods, melodies and rhythms, and inviting audiences to experience a new Made In Shetland dynamic music project that sits at the intersection between folk and world music.
Percussion: Renzo Spiteri
Guitar & mandolin: David Boyter
Cello: Sophie Wishart
The launch of The Eyland Project in March/April 2023 was supported by Shetland Arts Performing Arts Commission 2023.
Guitar & mandolin: David Boyter
Cello: Sophie Wishart
The launch of The Eyland Project in March/April 2023 was supported by Shetland Arts Performing Arts Commission 2023.
The Collaborators
Renzo SpiteriShetland-based, Maltese multi-percussionist, improviser and composer Renzo Spiteri has been active on the international arts circuit as a fulltime creative practitioner for over 30 years. As a seasoned musician, Renzo works as a multi-percussion player in the jazz, world, folk, improv and classical fields, leading his own projects and performing in major international festivals (WOMAD, Festival of the Desert, Future Everything Festival, Sonorities, Musica Viva) and venues (such as Royal Festival Hall- London, Jerwood Hall LSO St. Luke’s- London, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts- Washington DC, National Concert Hall- Dublin, Babylon Club- Istanbul). He was artistic director and creative producer of the Malta World Music Festival (2016-2018) with a remit leading to Valletta Capital of Culture 2018, guest musician at the multi-national Mediterranean Concert at the Room of Human Rights and Alliance of Civilisations at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva (2016), and national ambassador for the EU’s Year for Intercultural Dialogue 2008. His music has been played on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Ulster, London’s Resonance FM.
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Sophie WishartShetlander Sophie Wishart is a local musician from a classical and traditional music background. As a versatile cellist, she is particularly keen on playing within an ensemble format and has performed across the UK and Europe as part of National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, Marischal Chamber Orchestra and Edinburgh Tattoo. Before moving back home to Shetland, Sophie was part of the Royal Marines Band Service.
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David BoyterDavid Boyter is a freelance musician who plays guitar, banjo and mandolin. Drawing heavily on Scottish, Irish and American folk traditions in his acoustic playing, he also explores the sonic textures of minimal and ambient music.
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