Fiona J Mackenzie - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Fiona has just been selected as a finalist in the prestigious Nos Ur Competition for Minority Languages at Eden Court Theatre on the 21st June, with a self penned song "Guthan air a'Ghaoith". more details at www.nos-ur.euFiona is the feature artist in March edition of Hi-arts 'Northings' Arts journal-http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/mar2008-interview-fiona-mac kenzie.htmlI am a native of The East Coast of Scotland but have lived in the Highlands for 20 years and have adopted the Gaelic Culture, and taken it straight to the heart of mine and my family's lives. I work as the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellow for Highland Council in Dingwall and teach Gaelic song and undertake research throughout Scotland and further afield. I won the Ladies Gold Medal for Gaelic singing at the Royal National Mod in Stornoway 2005. The last couple of years have taken me to sing in New York, Holland, Ireland, Lorient in Brittany, the Library of Congress in Washington, North Carolina and Virginia. . In the course of my development work I look after the cool young vocal harmony band Fionnar, a group of 8 talented Gaelic singers from all over Scotland who can be found elsewhere on Myspace! They have just released their second CD - An t-IOnnsachadh Og - The Young Learning. I was thrilled to be nominated for best gaelic singer in the scots trad Music Awards, December 2006. I also work with the team of Highland 2007 - the year that Scotland celebrates Highland Culture - on all projects involving Gaelic elements. The whole household speaks Gaelic - including the dogs - Breac and Brahan .I've just released my debut album on Greentrax - Duan Nolaig, the forst ever Scottish Gaelic Christmas album a unique double CD of Gaelic Christmas carols and Songs for all ages which has been released in plenty of time for Christmas! Its an exciting project and I worked under the fantastic guidance of Irvin Duguid , who has brought a fresh approach and sound to traditional Gaelic song. Put it this way, the didgeridoo man was fabulous -.......................................yes , this IS Gaelic Song we're talking about! Entitled Duan Nollaig ( Christmas Song) the album is available in all the usual outlets and online in several stores in cluding Footstompin.com and is also available for download from Scotloads. THe album is being followed by a gig in Glasgow in early December. See my up coming gigs space for more details. You'll find other details of the album on my own website too - www.fionamackenzie.org Check out Irvin's Myspace too.

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Music:

Member Since: 10/24/2006
Band Website: fionamackenzie.org
Band Members: REVIEW OF DUAN NOLLAIG SCOTALND ON SUNDAY NOV 11- "Here's the answer to all that crass Christmas commercialism. This astonishingly eclectic double album by the Highland Council's Gaelic Song Fellow and former Mod medallist delves deeply into Gaeldom's religious song tradition. It also creates new ones all of its own.Among the 35 songs, the famously beautiful Taladh Chriosda is here in heart-stopping vocal harmony, while Leonard Cohen's Halleluiah gets an apocalyptic, wall-of-sound, contemporary arrangement of which Runrig would be proud."Scotland on Sunday (11 November 2007)............................................Fiona usually sings in the traditional style -i.e unaccompanied ,but also calls upon the talents of her daughter Katie who is studying clarsach( small Scottish harp) and gaelic song at the RSAMD in Glasgow. Fiona and Katie regularly play at events and concerts throughout the Highlands. Fiona is particularly interested in songs conected to the piping tradition and has recently produced a new book of Gaelic songs connects to both the ceol mOr and Ceol beag traditions - The Crunluath Collection. Songs written by Angus Macphee of Skye. Fionas CDs are available for purchase online and through all 'good record shops' - also for immediate download from Scotloads.co.uk Fionas 2006 release Orain nan Rosach, was recorded at Unity Recording Studios, Auldearn, Nairn and is a unique project in that it is the first collection ever of purely Ross-shire songs, - there are collections of songs from most other islands or parts ofthe Highlands but never has there been a collection of Ross-shir songs - a book of the same name - Orain nan Rosach- was also produced by Fiona in 2005.Oh yes and of course - make sure and catch my latest show on Scottish Internet radio - The Kitchen Ceilidh. Updated every 2 weeks or so - full of Gaelic Song and music from the latest releases, to field recordings.there are alos Gaelic lessons on there too which you can follow at your own pace and also follow on screen!!www.internetradio.co.uk
Influences: Mainly traditional singers such as Mary Smith, Mairead Stiubhart and Catriona Garbutt with whom she has studied at Ceolas, South Uist. Also Kenna Campbell and her daughter Mary Ann Kennedy. And of course Cathy Ann Macphee. Also enjoys the music of Mary Jane Lamond, Kathleen Macinnes and Julie Fowlis Is also a member of Classical Vocal Group - Voiceworks, based in Ross-shire.
Sounds Like: Find out more about my work in March’s Northings Arts Journal http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/mar2008-interview-fiona-mackenzie.h tmlListen to the clips and see! Also for something different, listen to this - www.myspace.com.electricbrainviolence Must be amongst the first Gaelic singers to be ’on’ electronica!
View Fiona J Mackenzie’s EPK
Record Label: Greentrax- www.greentrax.com
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Singers Studio Singer of the Month

Fiona is just delighted to have just been informed that shes been chosen as "Singer of the Month" on top US Music Industry site - The Singers Studio. Check out the page and her prizes at the sit...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:03:00 PST

Nos Ur Competition Finalists Announced

Nòs Ùr song competition finalists announcedIssued: Tuesday 15 April 2008The finalists have been selected for the first Celtic and Scots languages song contest to be held in Inverness as one of four re...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:27:00 PST

Celtic Connections reviews

Read Fiona's reviews of some Celtic Connections gigs at the Nothings site - http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/reviews
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:05:00 PST

and NO, I havnt just released an album called Elevate!

Hi there Just to further try and clear up any confusion - I havn't just released 'Elevate'- thats Fiona ( eile) Mackenzie, INVERNESS, I'm the Dingwall one. My most recent release is '...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:34:00 PST

Fiona on Wikipedia!

Fiona now has a page on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Mackenzie ...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:06:00 PST

Solais na Gaidhealtachd Highland Lights

Well. despite all the controversy over the Highland 2007 Final Spectacular in Inverness last night, nobody who was there could fail to say that it ws a truly spectacular display, the likes of which Sc...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Sun, 13 Jan 2008 03:53:00 PST

Duan Nollaig on Freeview Christmas Day

A repeat of the Duan Nollaig Gaelic Christmas Carol show will be broadcast on Tele G, Freeview Channel 8 at 600pm on Christmas Day - tune in and get some real Festive cheer- Gaelic style...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:13:00 PST

Duan Nollaig on STV - Wed Dec 19th!!!

Heres the Press Release from STV for the Unique Gaelic Christmas Concert - Duan Nollaig on STV , Wed 19th at 11pm!!! Please watch it - get you in the Festive Spirit!!! In fact watch it with a bit of F...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:20:00 PST

Review of Duan Nollaig - Scotland on Sunday Nov 11

Here's the answer to all that crass Christmas commercialism. This astonishingly eclectic double album by the Highland Council's Gaelic Song Fellow and former Mod medallist delves deeply into Gaeldom's...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 03:28:00 PST

New tracks up on new wesbite- Yee Ha!

Some new tracks have gone up on my new website - www.fionamackenzie.org Have a listen - She sure will be coming round the Mountains.....Yee Ha!...
Posted by Fiona J Mackenzie on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 02:59:00 PST