Dr Frances Wilkins has recently finished his PhD at the Elphinstone Institute, University of
Aberdeen, under the supervision of Dr Ian Russell. The focus of the thesis was sacred
singing traditions of North-East Scotland. The dissertation was the culmination of a three
year research project into sacred singing among evangelical Christians living in North-East
Scottish and Northern Isles coastal communities. The aim of the project was to record and
analyze current practices, placing them historically and contemporaneously within the faith
communities and understanding them in their social and cultural contexts. The pivotal role of
sacred music in the community was researched, along with the meaning of the music to the
participants, and its role in constructing personal and group identity. Religious traditions and
fishing heritage were explored with particular reference to the construction of a distinctive
’soundscape’. As far as possible, examples of sacred singing outside church worship were
documented including singing in the workplace, in the home, and in the public sphere.
Frances is now working as an archives assistant at the Elphinstone Institute and visiting
tutor in the Music Deparment at Aberdeen University.