Button Boxes & Moothies

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Will Pound | Sandra Kerr | Rick Epping | Allan Macdonald | Eva Carroll | Meabh Mulligan | Sam Mabbett | Michael Wright | Kisna Panesar | Alex Wade | Aaron Clark | Frances Wilkins | Tom Roche | Ron Clark | Pam Bishop

Established in 2003 by Professor Ian Russell, former director of the Elphinstone Institute, Button Boxes and Moothies is a celebration of the lesser known and often overlooked small free reed instruments (button boxes, mouth organs, Jew’s harps, concertinas, and melodeons).

The festival aims to offer rare opportunities to learn the instruments, meet the finest players, take part in sessions, and attend concerts. The 2025 festival, directed by Dr Frances Wilkins, senior lecturer at the Elphinstone Institute and a concertina player herself, is the fifth Button Boxes & Moothies festival to take place.

The weekend festival includes concerts, workshops, talks, displays and informal sessions. Local support is being provided by Aberdeen City Council’s Cultural Investment Programme, the Friends of the Elphinstone Institute, TMSA, and SC&T.

The workshops will include playing style and technique, as well as repertoire, and will cater for different levels of ability including mixed instruments so that players of any instrument can take part. Talks will support the theme of the weekend, focusing on the playing of free reed instruments in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK, and Ireland.

These highly portable, low status instruments are played by many ‘amateurs’ in North-East Scotland for their own amusement and the entertainment of others. The festival offers a rare chance to experience one of the less familiar musical traditions of Scotland and elsewhere.

  • Dates & Booking

    Nov. 14, 2025
    Times vary


    Nov. 15, 2025
    Times vary


    Nov. 16, 2025
    Times vary

  • Ticket Info

    Standard - £150.00
    weekend pass

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