Hire Martin Clarke | Fiddler in London

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From£250

1 hour

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Martin Clarke Fiddle Music - highlights

Cumbernauld House, Alloa House, Knot Colouring - Martin Clarke and Ben Filmer-Sankey

Cradle Song (words by Alexander Hastings, tune by James Scott Skinner)

About Martin

One of the country's leading fiddle players and ceilidh callers. Award-winning dance musician.

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Fiddler

London

Public liability insurance of £10 million

London-based fiddle player and ceilidh caller. Performs with Brown Boots, Silver Street Ceilidh Band, lead musician for award-winning sword dancers, Tower Ravens. Founder of now global online music-sharing community, Tunesday Tuesdays and top London ceilidh series, Waterloo Ceilidhs. Known for his driving rhythm, souring melodies and beautiful, clear tone, Martin plays with an enchanting blend of soulfulness and humour that will draw you in and make you want to move. He has performed at all major folk festivals in England, and when not on-stage he enjoys sharing music with other festival goers with tune sessions in the bar. "I love music and dancing, and more than anything I love getting everyone involved. Playing tunes that people know and feel confident joining in with. Calling ceilidh dances that get everyone up on the dance floor having a go. Putting smiles on people's faces and sharing the joy. These values were fundamental to my mum throughout her life and I want to make her proud by continuing to fulfill these, dancing and making music together."

Martin

5 out of 5

2 verified reviews

Martin's Reviews

5 out of 5

We hired the Hilltop band for a village Barn Dance in Oct 2018. Band arrived early and got set up. They were great fun. The music was spot on and the caller had everyone up and dancing straight away. The hall was packed but the caller adjusted the groups to fit the available space so everyone could take part. We had young children and some senior citizens as well as all ages in between dancing away. Great feedback from the crowd and they were calling for an encore at the end. All in all highly recommended and will look to book them again for next year!

5 out of 5

We had a ceilidh for our wedding anniversary on Saturday and the Hilltop Ceilidh band were fantastic. The guitar and box player were brilliant musicians who set a great beat to dance to and the caller gave clear instructions that meant even the novice dancers were able to understand what they were meant to be doing without over explaining! We will definitely look to book the band again next time we have a party!

Encore badges

8th Anniversary

This act has been working with Encore for over 8 years

Martin's Song list

Repertoire of hundreds of traditional tunes from UK, Ireland and further afield. Jigs, reels, slow airs, hornpipes, marches, strathspeys, schottisches, barn dances etc. A few examples...

Morpeth Rant

Hesleyside Reel

Hexham Races

Three around Three

Bonny Kate

Blue Eyed Stranger

Cuckoo's Nest

Trip to Barnard

Kesh jig

Morrison's

Haste to the Wedding

Cooley's

Foxhunter's

Father Kelly's

Hundred Pipers

The Smith's a Gallant Fireman

The Hut on Staffin Island

Da Lounge Bar

Margaret's Waltz

Midnight on the Water

MacArthur Road

Music in the glen

Merry Blacksmith

Wise Maid

Torn Jacket

Old Bush

Tenpenny bit

Drummond castle

Stool of repentance

Westmorland Waltz

Cumberland Waltz

Britches full of stitches

Mouth of the Tobique

Fair Jenny

Calliope House

Skirmish

The Breakdown

Pat the budgie

Faerie Dance

A life of music

Silver Spire

Silver Spear

Ashokan Fairwell

Little Judique

Rosslyn Castle

Archie's Fancy

Peacock's March

Banish Misfortune

Martin's Prices

Last updated: 2024

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Performance duration	Price
Short performance (up to 15 min)	£187.50
Up to 1 hour	£250
Up to 2 hours	£375
Up to 3 hours	£500

Additional musician

I'm happy to book additional musicians - I work with some of the best players on the scene so just ask and we'll propose something that fits your needs.

£350

Customer questions

What do your clients love most about your performances?

I'm friendly and engaging. As well as being a talented fiddle player, I'm knowledgeable about the origins of my music, the history of the traditional melodies I play, some of which go back beyond 17th century, across UK, Ireland, North America and beyond.

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

All sorts! Right from big stages like Swansea Arena and Cambridge Folk Festival to intimate (but renowned) music venues like Green Note Café in Camden.

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

Martin Hayes, Kathryn Tickell, Blazin' Fiddles, Spiers and Boden, Andy May, Will Allen, Rosie Butler-Hall, Manny Grimsley, Natalie MacMaster, Yves Lambert

What is the most high profile gig you've performed?

Vogue fashion show, "What is a ceilidh" Goog le ad, Swansea Arena, most main UK folk festivals

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

I do my best to be as flexible as possible. Just ask and I'll see what I can do.

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

Typically a solo fiddle performance would be acoustic so I wouldn't be able to offer that, but let me know what you have in mind and we can discuss options.

How much time do you need to set up?

For a solo fiddle performance it's pretty much ready to go, so 15 minutes is more than enough, but for a more complex set up with more instruments and PA it can take up to an hour. Let's chat about your needs and I'll explain the likely logistics requirements.

Can I pick the pieces you play from the set list?

If you have particular requests just let me know, otherwise I'm experienced at tailoring a great set of tunes for your event.

Do you bring all the equipment you need to perform?

Yes - for solo fiddle gigs I usually perform acoustic, but if PA is required I can provide, or possibly arrange with the venue.

Can you learn specific pieces before the event?

Maybe- let me know what you have in mind.

Musicianship

Genres:

Folk, Ceilidh, Traditional Scottish folk, Traditional Irish folk, Traditional English folk

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Instruments:

Fiddle, Ceilidh Caller, Violin, Viola, Singer (Tenor)

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Event types:

Concert, Wedding, Virtual event, Wedding proposal, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Corporate event, Charity event, Recording session, Theatre / Show, Cruise, Burns night, Birthday party, Christmas party

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Other skills:

Arranger, Orchestrator, Composer, Transcription, MC, Fluent improviser, Instrumental teaching, Theory teaching, Community music worker

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