Meet Methven’s Isla Rattray, 71, Who Has Practised for the Accordion Festival Every Morning at 6am Since 1981
The retired dinner lady says her neighbours 'got used to it after the first decade'. Some say they now can't wake up without it.
An accordion, warming up at dawn. Photo: Queensland Museum, “Italian Button Accordion QM r”, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Isla Rattray, 71, from Methven, has competed in the Perth Accordion and Fiddle Festival more times than she can count, and she has practised for it every morning at 6am since 1981.
“The early morning is the best time,” said the retired dinner lady. “The air’s fresh, the fingers are loose, and the neighbours are asleep. Well, they were asleep.”
Her next-door neighbour, Brian, said he had complained once, in 1983, and then gave up. “Now I can’t wake up without it,” he said. “When she went on holiday to Tenerife, I slept until noon. I lost my job.”
Isla says this year’s set is “a cheeky wee jig” and “a slow air that’ll have them greetin'”. She has her lucky cardigan ready.
After the festival, she says she will take one day off practising. “Then it’s back to it. Next year’s festival is only 364 days away.”
The real story: Perth Accordion and Fiddle Festival
Letters to the Editor
The views expressed are those of the reader, and frankly that's on them.
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I didn’t lose my job. I was late. But it was close.
— Brian M., Methven, 31 October 2026 -
Isla’s slow air had me greetin’ at last year’s festival. Good luck, Isla.
— Moira S., Methven, 31 October 2026
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