Join us for an evening with Duncan Chisholm, one of Scotland’s most recognised and accomplished fiddle players and composers. He will be joined by Hamish Napier and Innes Watson.
***There will be a paying bar at this concert**
Duncan Chisholm
Duncan Chisholm is one of Scotland’s most recognised and accomplished fiddle players and composers. Born and brought up near Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland, Duncan has spent most of his life developing his unique musical voice. Fiddle playing at its best, Duncan’s feather-light handling of dynamics and ornamentation, allied with his pure-distilled tone, lend his characteristic spine-tingling magic to his music.
Duncan’s latest release Live at Celtic Connections, was recently awarded ‘Album of the Year’ at the Scots Trad Music Awards in December 2014. Performed at an exclusive concert as part of the world famous Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Duncan recorded this special event where he played music from his acclaimed Strathglass Trilogy of albums, as part of a six piece traditional band who were backed by an orchestral ensemble.
The culmination of six years work, The Strathglass Trilogy – Farrar, Canaich and Affric, is Duncan’s musical representation of the ancient Chisholm Clan lands. With such a personal interest in and connection to these Highland glens, Duncan has worked hard to instil great pride and passion into three individual but very much connected musical masterpieces. This unique and inspired idea of producing a suite of fiddle music recordings, influenced by one of the most beautiful wilderness areas of Scotland, gives a solid representation of Duncan’s ability to get right to the heart of a tune, and communicate the emotion behind it, in what seems a totally natural way.
Duncan’s first solo album, Redpoint catapulted his solo career into the public eye. The Door of Saints closely followed Redpoint; a beautiful album inspired by the music of Northern Spain. Duncan then embarked on his Strathglass Trilogy, mixing traditional tunes with contemporary sounds. Having composed music for several BBC documentaries and written more than half of the tunes presented on his latest release, Duncan has been labelled “the new sound of traditional Scotland.”
“My creative world widens with each passing year and the possibilities for self-expression are limitless. Enjoy the music.” Duncan Chisholm.
Hamish Napier
Hamish Napier is a Scottish folk multi-instrumentalist, educator and composer inspired by the heritage and nature of his native landscape. He was born and brought up in Strathspey. For 17 years he lived and worked in Glasgow and Boston’s vibrant, multi-genre music scenes. On returning home 4 years ago, he began his 'Strathspey Pentalogy’, an ambitious 10-year project to produce 5 landscape inspired albums. The River (‘16) and The Railway (‘18) received 5-stars in national newspapers. The Woods (’20) was awarded 'Album of the Year' in the Scots Trad Music Awards - he has previous nominations for Community Composer, Live Act and Tutor of the Year.
Hamish has collaborated with leading artists such as Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson (Capercaillie), Julie Fowlis (Brave), Duncan Chisholm (Wolfstone), Blue Rose Code and Martyn Bennett. He has worked on national TV/radio as both performer and presenter, and appeared at festivals, theatres, music camps and universities throughout the UK, Europe and America.
Hamish's work often includes elements of Gaelic & Scots language and is modelled on traditional reels and jigs. He strives for a balance between tradition and innovation, celebrating and respecting Scotland’s rich musical heritage while transcending boundaries, with jazz, electronic and classical techniques. Hamish combines wooden flutes, fiddles and pipes, with a modern rhythm section and pioneering music production.
His work is often interdisciplinary: syncing my music to landscape films or incorporating poems and stories. Hamish produced a film 'Strathspey Stories' that premiered at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival and is currently gathering and recording local stories for Badenoch Heritage & Cairngorms National Park.
Innes Watson
Innes Watson, from Glasgow, is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist with over 21 years of contemporary and traditional Scottish music performance, recording, teaching and producing experience cumulatively. He grew up in the Scottish Borders in very supportive musical surroundings encouraging an extremely eclectic mix of skills, abilities, interests and accolades that combine to make Innes one of the most highly-regarded and sought-after musicians on the folk scene today.
He has taught at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (having graduated from there with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Scottish Music in 2006) and is a firm favourite for adult and youth learning organisations up and down the country. He has appeared on at least 42 albums released in Scotland in the last 16 years and has worked with some of the most notable performers in the country. In 2011 he won the title of “Instrumentalist of the Year” at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards and has featured heavily therein with bands and as accompanist to dozens of performers.
A composer of fiddle tunes, string arrangements, guitar music, songs and much more Innes now has a lockdown inspired passion for solo performing, live streaming and home recording including use of electronic music and sampling. Always keen to explore new avenues and put his professionalism to work in more new and interesting projects.
