Andrew Lyons profile picture

Andrew Lyons

Musician and Composer

About Me

Andrew Lyons has been a musician for most of his life with an undying passion (some might say obsession) for music of all forms. He is a classically trained fiddle player (taught by Charles Bye who played with many London orchestras) who also plays the mandolin, cittern, whistle and anything else he can lay his hands on.

Whilst living down across the border he mainly played classical music. He led a symphony orchestra and chamber orchestra playing at many events and performing solo on occasions. He also played and performed chamber music with various string quartets and has a wide knowledge of repertoire.

He has played at venues such as the Musikverein in Vienna (home of the Vienna Philharmonic), the Victoria Hall in Geneva (Suisse Romande Orchestra) and the Queen Elizabeth Hall. He has also sung in many of the great cathedrals in the UK and played in a live broadcast from Ely Cathedral.

Since moving to Scotland he has become heavily involved in traditional music and its performance. He is involved in the Edinburgh session scene and leads a session in the Tass (on the Royal Mile) every Monday, which he would glad to see you at!

He is a member of the band Rallion who are currently promoting their first album "For No-one and Everyone". The second album is now on the way.

In 2004 he toured The Netherlands and Belgium with Rallion’s singer on a very successful tour under the name ‘Dithis’. They also produced a CD for the tour called ‘You and I’.

Andrew also plays in a duo with an Edinburgh singer songwriter called Ian Main. They intend to complete an album this year which will be a mixture of traditional and self penned songs and tunes.

Andrew is also writing, performing and recording his own music.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/13/2006
Band Website: rallion.co.uk
Band Members:

RALLION: Fiona Cuthill (fiddle, whistles, recorder), Marieke McBean (vocals, guitar, bodhran), Steve Lawrence (guitar, bouzouki, percussion), Andrew Lyons (fiddle, cittern, mandolin).:

IAN MAIN/ANDREW LYONS: Ian Main (Guitar, Vocals), Andrew Lyons (fiddle, cittern, mandolin, whistle):


Influences:

I enjoy a wide range of music covering classical, pop, jazz and traditional/roots music. I think the common connections are honesty, passion, commitment and beauty. It has to be good too! In classical music my favourite composers would have to be Palestrina, Victoria, Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Wagner, Mahler, Shostakovitch and Schoenberg. I love all the tudor composers as well having sung many of their works as well as other leading choral composers such as Howells, Stanford, Harris etc.:

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I'm hopelessly out of date on pop and rock but love acts like Genesis, Pink Floyd, Beatles, Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, REM, U2, Sting, Moby and Coldplay. I like lots of new stuff. Its just not where my focus is at the moment.:

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The focus is on folk and traditional music where I could be described as obsessed. I am particularly in love with Scottish music but have lots of time for Cape Breton, Scandinavian, Shetland and Irish, music. For those fiddlers out there who don't play traditional music you will be amazed by the huge range of styles and talent on show in this field. I would particularly mention Charlie MacKerron, Chris Stout, Aidan O'Rourke, Liz Carroll, Bruce Molsky, Annbjørg Lien, Harald Haugaard but there are many many others. I love walking into a session and hearing a fiddle player I have not seen or met before. I've learnt so much from them. Of course I haven't mentioned all the pipers, bouzouki players and guitarists who have influenced me:

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I love traditional song and accompanying it. I am lucky enough to get to play with some great Scots singers. I'm also a huge fan of Gaelic song.:

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Sounds Like:

Whatever I sound like when I when I'm playing an instrument. Don't ask me!:

This is me playing at the RMMGA (acoustic guitar usergroup) meet at Buxton earlier this year. The tunes are Danish.:


Record Label: Big Sky
Type of Label: Indie