New Caithness Music Festival trophy to honour dance band maestro Eann Nicolson
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A Wick musician has put up a trophy at this year’s county music festival in memory of his accordion mentor and dance band maestro Eann Nicolson.
Eann played accordion with the Wick Scottish Broadcasting Band for many years, touring all over Scotland and beyond as well as cutting a series of records.
Noel Donaldson became one of his pupils in the 1950s following piano tuition from Margaret Henderson in Wick.
But the change of musical direction wasn’t as straightforward as Noel had hoped.
He explained: “I soon discovered that while I could do something with the keyboard end, the buttons on the bass side were a complete mystery, as was bellows phrasing.”
Noel’s dad, well-known Wick journalist John Donaldson, contacted veteran player Eann, who was delighted to come into the family home in the town’s Thurso Street to give the much-needed lessons.
Noel said: “Eann was not only a brilliant accordionist but had the equally important skill of imparting his knowledge and was a patient teacher. By the time he had finished with me I could play competently with both hands and had plenty to build on.”
Noel followed his father and brother into journalism and was working with the Orcadian, based in Kirkwall, in 1990 when he learned of Eann’s death and came over for his funeral in Wick.
Noel said: “I thought then about putting up a trophy in Eann’s memory. However, I regret to say, that unlike news, there were no deadlines and the years began to blink by. The shield is a case of better late than never.”
Eann Nicholson studied at Thurso’s Miller Academy and intended to take a music course at a university. Hitler had other ideas and Eann found himself as a wartime recruit in the Army Pay Corps. In 1942 he suffered backache and was treated for lumbago.
However, in South Africa, later, the problem was diagnosed as a tubercular infection of the spine. For three years Eann had to lie on his back but, incredibly, still manged to continue playing the accordion.
Predictably he was always popular at the various hospitals he attended.
Back home in Wick after the war, Eann decided it was too late to finalise his music education. He trained as a piano tuner and taught music.
In 1950, Billy Dowler, lead accordionist with the Wick Country Dance Band, emigrated to Australia and Eann took his place. The rest is history.
The Eann Nicolson Memorial Shield will be awarded to the competitor with the highest mark in the accordion sections at this year’s music festival, which takes place from June 10-14.
