Music Memory Store - Kimberley Mackay

Published: 29 Jun 2010

Kimberley Mackay.pdf.pdf

MusicMemory Store – Kimberley Mackay

Kimberley Mackay, 21, is a Wick born fiddler. After four years studying her instrument at the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music, she went on to gain a BA in Scottish Music at the RSAMD in Glasgow. Inspired by her tutors, Addie Harper, Iain MacFarlane and Pete Clark, she plays music from all over Scotland. Kimberley has performed in many prestigious venues across the world including The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh Castle and Le Mini Palais. As well as performing, Kimberley also teaches youngsters and adults of all ages and abilities through regular classes at the Glasgow Fiddle Workshop and the North Ayrshire Fiddle Workshop, and as a part time tutor for Musicworks. As well as teaching through workshops she also teaches privately and at feisean throughout Scotland, most recently Feis Ghallaibh. She is currently studying for her second degree, Bachelor of Law at Strathclyde University and continues to perform and teach.
The Piper and the Shrew, Almost an Island (CD), Wolfstone Released on Once Bitten Records Catalogue OBRCD002


This track has a sleepy cinematic start which gears up into a wild fiddle and crashing pipes. For those of you who are 21 this year, you are the same age as the Scottish band, Wolfstone. For those of us going to Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, we will get the chance to see and hear this band live on Aug 7th. Stalwarts of the band are fiddler, Duncan Chisholm, guitarist, Stuart Eaglesham and long term piper, Stevie Saint.

I first heard the band Wolfstone during my time at the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music. Their early albums were very popular among many of the students. I was lucky enough to receive a one to one lesson from the Wolfstone fiddler Duncan Chisholm, in which he taught me the tune ‘The Piper and the Shrew’. That weekend, my band from school supported Wolfstone at a concert in Kyleakin Hall, Skye. We played a few sets and songs before joining the audience to watch Wolfstone play. It was a great gig and we got to share a dressing room with the band backstage. We each got a t-shirt, which the band signed, and their newest CD ‘Almost an Island’. My strongest memory is of ‘The Piper and the Shrew’, which was performed during the gig and I enjoyed it more having learnt it directly from Duncan. The performance gave our band inspiration to make our own arrangement of the tune, and it became a popular set at many of our own gigs. The CD is still a favourite of mine and Duncan Chisholm remains to be a great influence in my own fiddle playing.
Chuala mi an còmhlan Wolfstone an toiseach nuair a bha mi an Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd sa Phloc. Chòrd na clàir a chuir iad a-mach an toiseach ri na h-oileanaich. Bha mise air leth fortanach gun d’fhuair mi m’ oideachadh leam fhìn cuide ri fidhleir Wolfstone, Donnchadh Siosalach. Dh’ionnsaich e am fonn “The Piper and the Shrew” dhomh.Aig an deireadh-sheachdain sin chluich an còmhlan bhon sgoil cuide ri Wolfstone an Talla a’ Chaoil, san Eilean Sgitheanach. Chluich sinn beagan sheataichean is òrain mun deachaidh sinn gan èisteachd. Is e gig air leth math a bh’ ann agus bha sinn cuide ris a’ chòmhlan san rùm-deisealachaidh. Fhuair gach aon againn t-shirt le ainm a’ chòmhlain is an CD ùr ‘Almost an Island’.Tha cuimhne nas fheàrr agam air “The Piper and the Shrew” bhon chluichear e aig a’ ghig agus chòrd e rium na bu mhotha a chionn gun d’ ionnsaich mi am fonn dìreach bho Dhonnchadh fhèin. Bhrosnaich an ceòl sinn gu fonn ùr a dheasachadh air a shon agus chluich sinn e gu math tric aig na gigs againn fhìn. Is toil leam an CD seo fhathast agus bidh Donnchadh Siosalach na fhear a thug buaidh mhòr air an fhìdhlearachd agam fhìn.
Copies of this CD are available to borrow, at no cost, from the collection of CD’s selected as MusicMemory Store, from Wick and Thurso Libraries. It can be heard on Mondays 7-8pm on Caithness FM as a part of the Scottish Show with Hughie Manson and on Radio nan Gàidheal.Music Memory Store is a partnership between the Mòd Ghallaibh Fringe and the Highland Libraries – Caithness branches, Wick & Thurso.Contact The Mòd Ghallaibh Fringe: northtuath@yahoo.co.uk

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