Strath: noun, Scottish, “a wide valley".
Span: verb, English, “to stretch, span or extend across”.
The music of StrathSpan started as a fiddle/cello duo with Nora Garver, Asheville fiddler, and Julia Weatherford, Black Mountain cellist and fiddler. They live on opposite sides of the Swannanoa Valley in the North Carolina Western Mountains. Thus their name, StrathSpan, or spanning the valley. They played together for seven years until the addition of Cathleen Nixon, Eastern Tennessee piper and fiddler, in 2022. Now StrathSpan is a trio that plays traditional pipe and fiddle tunes from the Scottish highlands and islands, with occasional forays into Irish, Scandinavian, and Breton traditions. In August 2025, StrathSpan travelled to Shetland, UK where they studied the music of the Shetland Islands' rich fiddle culture and brought back lots of Shetland tunes that they have a rollicking good time playing. The repertoire extends from ancient to contemporary, ranging from soulful airs and elegant strathspeys to lively jigs and reels. StrathSpan brings innovative arrangements to the tunes, layering melodies, harmonies and rhythms to create a rich musical tapestry. The resulting music spans centuries and continents, evoking the timeless sensations of heartbeat and laughter, waves and sea creatures, joyous dance, and ancient ceremony.
In addition to concerts and listening music, StrathSpan is accepting bookings for authentic Ceilidhs for your wedding or event.
strathspan.com