Session/Stage

Cairn String Quartet are Scotland’s best Session String group. From their Glagsow base, they can provide professional session musicians, from quartets to the full string orchestra of the Cairn String Collective, throughout Scotland and the UK.

Cairn String Quartet are pushing the boundaries of string tradition and collaborating with artists to bring Scotland to the forefront of popular musical culture. Recording and performing with bands and artists including Tommy Reilly, Camera Obscura, Echo and the Bunnymen, Attic Lights, Pearl and the Puppets, Admiral Fallow, We See Lights, St Jude’s Infirmary, Aaron Wright and the Aprils, For Abel, Will Hanson, Roddy Hart and the Lonesome Fire and The Orchids, this Glasgow group have an unparalleled level of experience in session work. This, combined with our classical music training and unique flair, creates both the perfect studio experience and a spine tingling stage presence when performing.

Recent performances also include the Homecoming Scotland at Oran Mor, appearing with the Bluebells/King Creosote and Attic Lights, the Haiti Fundraising Concert in Fat Sam’s, Dundee, where they performed with Lefty and Friends, Sheffield band Dead Like Harry and Luva Anna and at a Radio 1 studio session with Pearl and the Puppets. Festival appearances include Benicassim, Latitude, Glastonbury, Hop Farm, T in the Park and Kendal Calling.

We have recorded and performed string arrangements written for us by Bjorn Yttling (Peter, Bjorn and John) and Patrick Doyle (Carlito’s Way, Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix) but can arrange our own individual and unique string parts when required. Recent album appearances include Admiral Fallow, We See Lights, The Orchids, For Abel, Will Hanson, Laurie Cameron, the upcoming Celtic album, the Aaron Wright and the Aprils album and the highly anticipated Colin and Justin album. We are currently recording our very own album at Radio City with renowned producer, John McLaughlin. The Cairn String Quartet are Scotland’s only specialists in session strings both on stage and within the studio. Should you wish to book Cairn Session String Quartet for your recording, live performance or as a soundtrack to your film please contact us

Listen to Cairn String Quartet performing with:

also check out our myspace page: www.myspace.com/cairnstringquartet

Cairn String Quartet in the new Camera Obscura Video

Cairn String Quartet performing with Attic Lights
ABC Jan 17th 2009-01-24

“Our ABC gig for Celtic Connections was great. Playing to a full house and backed by a string quartet, the band were really kicking off on stage. Some nights you can feel it happening. The moment the string section kicked in on Wendy I felt like I was starting to levitate. You could see the audience responding almost immediately. Waves of strings hitting me from the big speakers at the side of the stage. I felt like a spectator at someone else's gig and the mesh of sound around me was incredible. Felt like My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless' performed by a chamber orchestra. Granted, I am prone to exaggeration, but it felt great.” Kev Sherry - Attic Lights

Cairn String Quartet's Annemarie and Fiona recording
with Sooth at Chem 19 Studios