Robbie Greig is an award-winning fiddle player and sought-after freelancer. Winner of the inaugural Niel Gow Scottish Fiddle Award, Robbie is in high demand as a session musician, soloist and teacher. A full-time member of three busy folk bands (The Paul McKenna Band, Tannara and INYAL), all of whom have had a look-in at the MG Alba Trad Awards, Robbie is also kept busy through a schedule of deputizing, having performed most notably with Niteworks, Malinky and Talisk.
Steeped in traditional and Gaelic music as a youngster, Robbie has always maintained a love of fiddle
traditions from Scotland, Ireland and further afield. Originally from Edinburgh’s culturally vibrant northside, Robbie moved to Benbecula at the age of 16 to pursue an HNC in Traditional Music Performance with Anna-Wendy Stevenson, Simon Bradley and Iain MacDonald at Lews Castle College UHI. He then ended up completing a first-class honours degree in Applied Music there. Like many of his peers, he has now settled in Glasgow, Scotland’s traditional music hub.
Good fortune has often led to the opportunity of travel for Robbie, and has included performing at festivals and concerts in Canada, USA, Australia, France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium and Holland.
Robbie has featured as a guest/primary artist on over fifteen commercial recordings and albums, most notably Josie Duncan and Pablo Lafuente’s The Morning Tempest, The Paul McKenna Band’s Breathe, Tannara‘s Strands, Irish Celtic: Le Chemin des Legendes and Robbie’s own solo record Robbie Greig and Friends.
He is also heavily in demand as a teacher, having taught at a variety of Feisean throughout Scotland as well as leading fiddle classes at summer schools Common Ground on the Hill (Maryland, US), Ceolas Uibhist, delivering individual workshops at Gate to Southwell Festival, Scots Music Group, Liniclate High School and teaching strings for Argyll and Bute Council. He was also invited to adjudicate the Col. Jock Fiddle Competition in Portree in 2014 and in 2022.
More information on the bands or acts Robbie has performed or deputised with in his career can be found here:
He plays a 2012 Ralph Plumb (Hexham) Violin, uses Evah Pirazzi Gold strings and an Arcus S6 bow and Linnd shoulder rest. Repairs and maintenance by Neil McWilliam.
For live performances, he uses a Kenny Johnson Skyinbow pickup, an Orchid DI box, a DPA 4099v microphone, an Orchid Microphone Mute and LUGS Pro moulded in-ear monitors (Derry).