Tutors

Sandy Brechin, accordion
Sandy has played in many bands, but is probably best known for his work with the Scottish bands, Bùrach and Seelyhoo, with whom he has toured extensively. Sandy is also well known as a teacher of accordion. He has taught at many workshops and is the annual tutor and performer at the RSAMD Box and Fiddle day, Celtic Connections since it started 10 years ago, a guest tutor at the Newcastle University and Lews Castle College Benbecula, a regular tutor on Isle of Barra, Folkworks in Durham and work out weekends in Darlington and Accordions at Witney, Fèis Ghleann Albainn (Fort Augustus), Fèis Lochabair (FortWilliam), Fèis an Earraich (Skye), Fèis Rois Inbhich (Adult Feis in Ullapool), Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Summer Courses (Skye), Feis 'sa Mheadhan (Fest o the Mids, Stirling), Fèis Dhun Eideann (Edinburgh), Edinburgh Youth Gatherin, ALP Scots Music Group.
http://www.brechin-all-records.com/sandybrechin.htm

Jack Evans, guitar, groupwork
Multi-instrumentalist Jack Evans has been involved in the Scottish music scene for many years, as a member of Jock Tamson's Bairns, The Easy Club and The Cauld Blast Orchestra. Known primarily as a guitarist, Jack also plays mandolin, bass, whistle and flute He has also played on many albums as a session musician and has written music for several stage presentations. More recently, Jack has established a reputation as one of traditional music's leading record producers, working on a variety of projects from the very traditional to the contemporary dance stylings of his Keltik Elektrik projects for G2 records.
http://www.jackevans.net

Mhairi Hall, piano, sound engineering and recording
Mhairi Ann Hall was born and brought up in Aviemore, Strathspey. She received her undergraduate degree in Gaelic Studies from the University of Aberdeen and continued on to a post-graduate programme at the University of Limerick. There, she completed an MA in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the Irish World Music Centre under the guidance of renowned pianist, composer and academic Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin. Mhairi has created a unique Scottish/Gaelic style of piano playing, and is now working on projects with Gaelic singer Kathleen Graham and Swedish singer Ulrika Gunnarsson. She has performed throughout Scotland, Ireland, England and Germany with bands such as ‘Cluanas’, ‘Dannsa’ and ‘Dòchas’.

Karen Marshalsay, clàrsach, groupwork
Karen Marshalsay draws on a wealth of differing experiences, from work within the Gaelic and Scottish traditions to directing all-female percussion group SheBoom, from studies with Paraguayan harp master Rito Pederson to performances with Gambian kora player Seiko Susso and Ghanaian drumming band Kakatsitsi. Playing wire-strung as well as gut-strung clarsach and Paraguayan harp, Karen has developed through the folk world of feisean, festivals and lessons with leading players such as Alison Kinnaird and Bill Taylor. Karen's credits have included appearances in the Edinburgh International Festival's Scottish Harps concert series and Allan MacDonald's 2004 pibroch series From Battle Lines to Bar Lines, the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, the Tolbooth Sound Orchestra under the direction of Brian Irvine, Theatre Highland's touring production of Don Juan, commissioned pieces for Celtic Connections and the Northborough Harp Festival and as musical director of ALP's Scots Music Group Big Band. Karen has both taught and performed at festivals in the USA, Australia, France, Germany and Switzerland as well as numerous home festivals and events. She is also a part-time lecturer and tutor in Scottish music at the RSAMD.
http://www.harp1.demon.co.uk

Wilma Kennedy, Gaelic song
Wilma is a native Gaelic speaker, born and brought up in Glasgow and now living in Broughty Ferry. She trained at Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying drama and education. Upon graduating in 1991 she returned to Scotland to work and that year won the Gold Medal at the National Mod in Dingwall. She has since successfully combined her careers in singing and acting, having performed from Bahrain to Barra and all points in between. She is currently much sought after as a tutor in both singing and drama and has recently established her own production company Frato Productions Ltd.

Christine Kydd, Scots song, groupwork
Christine is one of Scotland's great singers. Acknowledged as a fine interpreter and a champion of the Scots song tradition. Her harmony and arrangement collaborations with Janet Russell and Chantan led her to perform and record some of Scotland's finest and often award-winning harmony vocal sounds. In recent years Christine has set up community choirs around Scotland, and her arrangements adopted by choirs beyond our borders. Currently works on Songs and Tunes of the Sea with Norman Chalmers, and performs with Maureen Jelks, and Lorraine Jordan. CeilidhMakers!, a project with Mats Melin, top dance expert sees songs, songmaking, social dance and step dance on the agenda for schools and communities. Highly respected as a teacher of Scots song and voicework, Christine holds a teaching qualification in Voice (ADVS) from the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama in London. "…a musician who brings warmth and style to her work, and a unique ability to communicate instantly with an audience or workshop group" (Aberdeen Alt Fest)
http://www.christinekydd.com

Iain MacFadyen, bagpipe
Iain comes from a famous family of pipers which hailed originally from Bunessan on the Isle of Mull. Like all his family, Iain took up the pipes at an early age, and he went on to become one of the most successful competitors of his or any other generation, having won all the premier awards including the coveted Grant's/Glenfiddich championship 4 times. His remarkable record of qualifying for this event for the first 13 years consecutively (shared with Hugh MacCallum) is testament to his consistency and high standards. In 1973, as piping instructor posts were beginning to be established by local authorities in Scottish schools, Iain came to Kyle as piping instructor for Skye and Lochalsh. He retired from the post in 2001, having influenced the upsurge in piping standards not only locally, but nationally through his work as examiner and adviser to the SQA. In recognition of this, Iain was recently made a Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland for his outstanding contribution to Scottish education.

Iain MacFarlane, fiddle, groupwork
Iain was born in Glenfinnan, a small village in Lochaber. Whilst being taught the fiddle from his father and also from Donald Riddell, he also started to receive tutelage on the bagpipes from pipe Major Evan MacRae at the age of 10. Since his teens Iain has played in many musical formations and projects such as Gaelic Drama, Contemporary Dance, Radio and Television, while still playing with local "greats" such as Fearchar Macrae, Angus Grant and Fergie MacDonald. Following an HNC in Gaelic Language in 1996, he graduated from the Royal Academy of Music and Drama with a BA in Traditional Music. Since then he has been teaching at many Feisian, festivals and schools, as well as playing on many albums, and standing in whenever necessary for the great Aly Bain of "Boys of the Lough". "Iain MacFarlane's exquisitely lyrical, west coast accent, produced a typical heart-in-the-mouth set with his superb technique and mellifluous tone"
http://www.blazin-fiddles.co.uk

Hamish Napier, flute, whistles, piano, stepdance
The son of Marie-Louise Napier - singer, Clarsach player and composer - Hamish was steeped in traditional music by his family from an early age. He began playing classical piano and flute, playing lead flute with both the Highland and Inverness Wind bands, but his interest in traditional music was stronger, and through the Fèisean movement he received expert teaching in whistle, wooden flute, both Scots and Gaelic song, and Scottish Stepdance. A member of the successful band ‘Back of the Moon’, Hamish has also played, danced or sung with (amongst others) Margaret Bennet, Emily Smith, Brian Finnegan, Garry Innes and the Scottish Stepdancing Company. His latest project is the Hamish Napier Duos, with Anna Massie, Ross Ainslie, Ali Hutton, Findlay Napier or Innes Watson.
‘Piano, flute, whistle, singing and step dancing, Hamish Napier is one of the finest young musicians in Scotland. A multi-talented bundle of energy, his music is invigorating, passionate and steeped in tradition.’
John Morran, Development Worker for TMSA

Dougie Pincock, whistle, groupwork
Dougie started piping at primary school in Barrhead, where his head teacher was Iain MacFadyen's brother John. After a successful career in junior competition, he became involved in the traditional music scene in 1979 when he joined the Glasgow band Kentigern. This led to a 7 year stretch with leading traditional group Battlefield Band, during which the band toured extensively throughout the world as well as fulfilling extensive recording, radio and TV commitments. Dougie left the band in 1990 after the birth of his daughter and spent the 1990s learning how to teach and playing on other people's albums. He worked at various times for the National Piping Centre, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and the Easterhouse Arts Project, and as a freelance tutor on the Feis circuit and on other projects throughout Scotland. He was appointed Director of the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in May 2000.

Andy Thorburn, piano
Andy Thorburn is one of Scotland's busiest and most versatile musicians, and is best known as the piano player with Blazin' Fiddles. His new solo CD of own compositions, piano, was released to great critical acclaim in January 2005. Recent work includes the With Strings Attached tour with Blazin' Fiddles, playing on Peatbog Faeries' forthcoming album, writing music for Grey Coast Theatre's production Song of Sutherland, typesetting Paul Anderson's Cromar Collection, acting as the external examiner at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, working as the musical director for the opening concert at the Hebridean Celtic Festival 2003, and advising the government on music curriculum development in schools.
http://www.andythorburn.com

Wendy Weatherby, cello
Since graduating from the RSAMD in 1983, Wendy’s interest in jazz and folk music has led her to play and sing at festivals throughout the UK, Europe, the USA and the former Soviet Union. She has worked and recorded with many top Scottish musicians including Hamish Moore, Billy Jackson, The Pearlfishers, Michael Marra and Phil Cunningham and has two solo albums and a great deal of theatre performing and writing to her credit. Wendy has hosted many workshops in both cello and singing. She is regularly featured in Dr Fred Freeman’s illustrated lectures on Robert Burns, performing alongside Marc Duff (ex-Capercaillie) and John Morran (Deaf Shepherd) and is in demand as singer and cellist at events worldwide.

Tel 01599 544706
The National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music,
Plockton High School, Plockton, Wester Ross IV52 8TU
email dougie.pincock@highland.gov.uk
www.musicplockton.org