Who or what are the most significant influences on your musical life and career as a composer?
I am from Wick, a small town in the north of Scotland. I grew up in a music-loving household, joining my parents from an early age to local music events. My Mum, especially, loved Scottish country-dance music, so there was always traditional music on the radio. I was fascinated by the accordion and started learning Scottish traditional music on the accordion when I was 9 years old, classical piano lessons followed.
After school, I embarked on the traditional music course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Though I applied as an accordionist, the piano pretty much took over while I was there. After graduation, I studied for a masters in traditional music at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance studying piano with the late Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin. Mícheál’s distinctive style of using the piano as a solo instrument in Irish traditional music and his creative integration of traditional and classical music has had a massive impact and influence on my work.
What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?
Over the last twenty years I have composed music that crosses the boundaries of folk and classical music. This can be a challenge to market as it does not sit in a specific genre.
What are the special challenges/pleasures of working on a commissioned piece?
Collaboration has been and continues to be an important part of my work as a composer and performer. I love developing strong collaborations with musicians, ensembles, authors, and artists to create new work. The challenge of the blank page at the start of a project is always a bit daunting.
What are the special challenges/pleasures of working with particular musicians, singers, ensembles or orchestras?
It’s very important for me to collaborate with musicians and write specifically for them, rather than just for their instrument. When working with folk musicians, I love to leave space in the score for improvision and allow musicians to bring their own style, phrasing and ornamentation to the music.
Of which works are you most proud?
My most recent album, Landscape to Light. This album is made up of compositions for piano and string quartet. I perform the music with the Maxwell Quartet, and it’s produced by Calum Malcolm.
The album celebrates the remarkable landscape of the north of Scotland. The compositions are a series of portraits evoking both the natural and mystical worlds, and they bring full circle my interest in melding classical music together with the Scottish traditional music of my upbringing. In Landscape to Light, I draw inspiration from the novelist Neil Gunn, the legends of fairy mischief passed down through generations, the power of the sea and the natural beauty of the Flow Country where I grew up.
How would you characterise your compositional language?
I regularly use ‘place’ as an inspiration to create new work drawing on landscape, tradition and folklore. As a composer, brought up in Caithness, I have strong connections to the landscape, history and heritage of the north of Scotland. My compositional style is inspired by the rich tapestry of traditional music I grew up with in the Highlands. I blend this with influences from classical music to create new compositions.
How do you work?
My writing process generally starts at the piano through tune writing and improvisation. I then bring these ideas to the computer to start scoring and arranging.
As a musician, what is your definition of success?
Being happy, enjoying projects and being able to dedicate time to writing new music.
What advice would you give to young/aspiring composers?
I teach on the traditional music course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. The main advice I give to students is try and develop their own sound, listen and explore all styles of music and take every opportunity to collaborate with other musicians.
What is your present state of mind?
I am enjoying creating new music and I’m excited to be releasing my new album
Landscape to Light is released on 21 June
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