Vocals

Growing up in Lewis, I listened to anything from the local traditional Gaelic singers to pop music and classical music. Then, when I went on to college, I discovered the 20th Century composers, of which I loved Steve Reich, Philip Glass and especially John Adams. I love the minimal approach and used it in my own arrangements on my solo album An Iomall - The Edge. I like to let a song breathe and to not unnecessarily clutter an arrangement.

Singers I love are Glasgow born Eddie Reader, for her beautiful voice and ability to use it especially her Mirmara album, June Tabor for her strength in telling the story of a song and in particular her arrangements on her album Aleyn and a Spanish singer Uxia who has a wonderful album called Estou vivindo no ceo - I am living in Heaven. I like Kurt Weill, Keith Jarret, Norma Waterson, Eliza Carthy, Blazin' Fiddles for their amazing energy, Vasen, Asylum Street Spankers, Swop, Karen Tweeds' May Monday, big choral pieces like Vaughan Williams' Sancta Civitas, Elgar's Enigma Variations - and Nimrod at full blast, definitely U2 and, recently, Coldplay.

Biodata

1988-1990
Studied music at Napier University
Gained a Diploma as an Associate of the London College of Music (A.L.C.M.)

1990-1993
Studied at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Gained a B.A. in Music Performance specialising in Vocal Studies, Drama, Electronic music, Scottish music and Gaelic Song.

1993-1994
Awarded a scholarship and continued a post-graduate course in vocal studies at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Other Training
Fast-track' training course designed to enhance skills and knowledge of the workings of the music business, run by the Gaelic Arts Project. This involved working closely with managers, agents, engineers, TV directors and music agency representatives.

Television
Machair (STV), Taile Bhala (BBC), Celtic Electric (CBBC), Tacsi 98 - 01 (BBC), Togaibh sinn Fonn (Grampian), Failte (Grampian), Irish TV programmes for RTE with Hummingbird productions and various TV performances abroad.

Radio
Scottish Connections, Mr Andersons Fine tunes, Celtic Connections, Travelling Folk, Radio Nan Gaidheal, The Captains Collection BBC Scotland series and various radio programmes from Nova Scotia, Canada.

Recordings

The Old Man and the Sea (IRCD028)

Anne Martin-Co? (WwaveCD001)

Folk in Hell (Hemisphere)

Tuath gu Deas (ATMusCD1)

The Captains Collection (CDTrax187)

Tacsi (VERTCD052)

Ishbel Macaskill-Essentially (IMCD001)

Alyth McCormack-An Iomall (VERTCD054)

Photons in Vapour (TRCD007)

Shine-Sugarcane (ChocCD001)

The Future Sound of Gaeldom (SurCD026)

Sunhoney-November (VRTCD005)