Chris Oxtoby – Accordion

Chris has been playing accordion for Scottish country dancing for more than 30 years. Before that she ran her own English dance band, and was a member of London Folk (an English dance display team). Forming Strathallan, with Ann and Martin, seemed like the obvious next thing to do.

Prior to that, Chris was a member of the Scottish dance trio Sound Company for 14 years and played throughout the south of England, and regularly in Europe and the Channel Islands. She has played on several commercial recordings, and plays regularly for dance classes and day schools.

Chris has performed at many major folk festivals, including the annual Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival – probably the premier showcase event for Scottish traditional music. Chris travelled to Russia, France and Ireland with the Scottish dance display team Corryvrechan, leading the band for 13 years.

“You can hear the smile in your music”

~ Berkhamsted Strathspey & Reel Club

“It was a real joy to dance to Strathallan again on Sunday – many, many thanks to you and the team for your wonderful music and for all the laughter.”

~ Reading St Andrews

“Thanks for a fabulous evening of great live music – lifted not only our feet but our spirits too!”

~ Minstead SCDC

“Thank you for being so welcoming and supportive to our new MCs – I don’t think they could have had a better start to MCing.!”

~ RSCDS Oxford

“Lovely choice of melodies, brilliantly played. Hopefully you saw the smiling faces of happy dancers all over the hall”

~ RSCDS Bristol

“That was a splendid evening. The hall was filled with people grinning from ear to ear and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Thank you all for creating such a wonderful atmosphere in the hall”

~ Summer Tuesdays

“Great to be dancing again and especially to have live music to accompany us. You certainly kept us going right to the end as our weary and out of practice bodies began to wilt. It is impossible not to keep dancing when the music stirs us … as yours did!”

~ RSCDS BHS

“A fantastic evening. The music was superb”

~ RSCDS London

“WOW !! Absolutely fantastic band. Always nice to see musicians who express happiness when playing”, “Sounds great really swinging”
“Tremendous sound great tunes”, “Your exuberance shines through!”

~ Tunes in the Hoose

“It was fabulous having you to play again! Your sound is so complete: rhythmic, tuneful, lively and nobody can not want to dance to it!”

~ Club de danse écossaise de Montpellier

“Such great music to which you simply had to dance. The evening certainly seemed to go with a swing with a fantastic atmosphere”

~ RSCDS Birmingham

“Your music was wonderful, such brilliant tunes and you always play as if you are really enjoying the music, which really lifts the dancers especially when we are getting weary feet by the end of the night”

~ RSCDS Oxford

“You were all terrific and really made our evening go with a swing… It was heartening to hear all the cheering, clapping and stamping of feet at the end of evening”

~ Harpenden SCDC

“It is the first time that Summer Tuesdays have had an all-female band playing and I very much hope it won’t be the last. A huge brava from all of us for your performance! ” “Great fun last night and some cracking sets of tunes and plenty of laughs, thank you”

~ Summer Tuesdays

“Many thanks for your excellent playing last night, many dancers thought the music was brilliant and it was a pleasure to dance to”

~ Orpington Calendonian

“A lovely and lively selection of music which everyone was very happy to dance to on Saturday.”
“You just make me fly!”

~ SE Herts SCDC

“Thank you for the fantastic ceilidh on Saturday night. Everyone loved the dancing, and many people commented how Bob was incredibly clear and patient with us, explaining each dance! And I really appreciated how the choice of dances worked well for the space.”

~ Private Party