The Dyr Sister

The Dyr Sister is the performance name of Sally, a classically trained violist and pianist. She has Grade 8 in viola and Grade 5 in piano, and in her teens and early 20s she spends time playing with the City of Hull Youth Symphony Orchestra, where she becomes principal violist, as well as with the Hull Philharmonic Orchestra for seven years. She also plays in string quartets and other small string groups.

Before taking up songwriting more fully, she leaves college, does not continue to university, and works in a regular job outside music. Her first live performance with a band takes place at The Adelphi Club’s Monday night open mic in Hull, after which she begins performing more regularly.

Earlier name and loop-pedal performances

Before becoming The Dyr Sister, she performs as Salbo Baggins. Under that name she begins loop-pedal shows in late 2011, using viola, mandolin and kitchen objects, and performs material described as Fairytales for the Modern Gentleman to audiences in and around Hull.

Bands and collaborations

She plays in several bands and projects, including Phonic Voices, Awash with Antler, The Rocky Nest, Organikarmonic, The Glass Delusion and Rimbomband. These acts cover hip hop, freak folk, indie-pop, world-folk fusion, art rock and travelling minstrel music, and Rimbomband includes some members of Organikarmonic.

She also records with or guests with Man-Made Noise, The Belle Collective, The Broken Orchestra, Pat D, The Romantic Cats, The Notebook, Kev la Kat, Safehouse Pictures, EndofLevelBaddie and We Are Salix. Over the course of her career she shares stages with artists including King Creosote, This Is the Kit, Thomas Truax, Finley Quaye, Lach, Franz Nicolay, Curtis Eller, The Hillbilly Moon Explosion and Vic Rugierro.

Mexico and The Dyr Sister

In early 2013 she travels to Mexico for a few months as a travelling minstrel. After that period, Salbo Baggins ends and The Dyr Sister begins on her return to the UK. She continues building performances outside Hull and works on her debut album.