Corrina Hewat profile picture

Corrina Hewat

NEW CD 'Harp I do' available www.corrinahewat.com

About Me

*** NEW CD ***
Corrina Hewat : Harp I Do
The brand-new solo harp album is now available!!
£11.95


PROFESSIONAL WORK:
The Unusual Suspects 2003 onwards (The Unofficial Scottish National Folk Orchestra/Big Band)
Kathryn Tickell and Corrina Hewat duo
Annie Grace, Corrina Hewat and Karine Polwart, vocal harmony trio
Scottish Women 2000 – 2003 (20 women musicians performed and toured around Scotland)
Shine 1999 – 2003 (vocal and two harp trio with Alyth McCormack and Mary MacMaster)
Chantan 1996 – 1999 (vocal trio with Christine Kydd and Elspeth Cowie)
Bachue 1994 – 2006 (duo with David Milligan on piano, which became quartet with drums and trumpet)
The Two-Ring Ceilidh 1995 – 96 (two halved concert incorporating a ceilidh dance)
A Winter's Tale 1999 – 2003 Christmas show with Gerda Stevenson, Simon Thoumire, David Milligan, Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis
My Ain Countrie 1998 – award winning Scottish Women show at Celtic Connections
Seannachie 1994 – 97 (traditional Scottish band with fiddle, harp, voices, bouzouki, guitar, bodhran)
Guest musician with; Eric Bibb, Carol Kidd, Lammas, Horse McDonald, Andy Thorburn, Ishbel MacAskill & Sheena Wellington as the Folk Divas (ha!),
Abby Newton, Alasdair Fraser, Karine Polwart, The Kathryn Tickell Band.

MUSICAL DIRECTION:
Unusual Suspects (co-director with David Milligan)
Songs of Conscience – a show with Peggy Seeger, Karine Polwart, Laura Boosinger, Thea Gilmore, Sarah Watkins; premiered at Celtic Connections 2007.
TMSA Young Trad Tour 05, 06, 07 – winner/finalists of Hands Up For Trad Young Musician of the Year tour
Scottish Men – show with Brian McNeil, Rod Paterson, Arthur Cormack, Donnie Munro, Findlay Napier, John Morran, James Graham, Brian MacAlpine,
co MD-ed with Maggie McInnes
Folkestra – guest musical director
COMMISSIONS:
1996 “Song of Redshank” - Highland Festival commissioned me to write for their festival, a twenty-two minute long work for ten musicians,
and incorporating very traditional style material with contemporary ideas, never recorded.
1997 “The Sea King's Daughter” – a soundtrack and song settings for an audio play of George Mackay Brown's work, recorded at SOund Cafe, published by the Saltire Society.
1998 “Making the Connection” - the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow then commissioned me to write a ‘new voices' piece celebrating five years of the festival. The piece (5 sections, 50 minutes in total) was premiered in January 1998 and then again in 2000. It featured Martyn Bennett on pipes, Johnny Cunningham & Aidan O' Rourke on fiddles, Mairi Campbell on viola, Catriona McKay and myslef on harp, Brian Sheils on double bass and Davy Cattanach on percussion. Two vocalists Horse McDonald and Alyth McCormack. We did do a rough recording of it, which I have, but I'd like to record it one day.
2000 “Photons in Vapour” - commissioned by An Tobar, on the Isle of Mull. The 46 minute piece centres on local musicians. The work focuses on light and its varying roles within the community. The images were summed up in poems written by the local wordsmiths, the 'Scribe Tribe'. It's recorded and released on An Tob Records.
2003 “Silhouette” - a 20-minute vocal piece, was commissioned by An Tobar, The Tobermory Arts Centre, in Mull for a special outdoor performance, premiered by the Dunedin Consort in the summer of 2003 using the old Fishermens' Pier in the centre of Tobermory as the stage. The piece is in four sections, featuring six voices and incorporating words and poems from ee cummings and Judith Jardine. Again on An Tob Records.
2005 “The Ballad of Eppie Moray” – a twelve minute epic arrangement of the Scottish ballad of Eppie Moray and her escape from rape and forced marriage, commissioned by Women In Music for me and the other 6 women in the Unusual Suspects (Karine Polwart, Eilidh Shaw, Emily Smith, Annie Grace, Clare McLaughlin, Catriona Macdonald) performed in October 2005 and released on cd, available from Foot Stompin Records .
2007 “The State of the Union” - commission for the Brampton Festival written by Kathryn Tickell and myself performing and directing ten musicians (see my blog on The State of the Union) and singers Eddi Reader, Dick Gaughan, Maddy Prior and Nancy Kerr.
2007 “The Lovely Wife O Kelso” – commissioned by The Splore at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival for Ceol Mor, a 22 piece student version of the Unusual Suspects
2007 – “Lorient Suite” – written by Corrina and David, commissioned by the Scottish Arts Council for the Unusual Suspects Gala Performance at the Lorient Interceltique Festival Scottish Year celebrations.
SELECTED RECORDINGS:
Kathryn Tickell & Corrina Hewat the sky didn't fall on Park Records PRKCD88
The Unusual Suspects - Live in Scotland (Live) on Foot Stompin Records CDFSR1727
Bachue - The Butterfly on Big Bash Records BBRCD015
Bachue - A Certain Smile on Culburnie Records CUL114D
Bachue - Bachue Café on Highlander Music HRMCD001
Corrina Hewat – My Favourite Place on Footstompin' Records FSRCD1719
Shine - Sugarcane on Chocolate Records CHOC 001CD
Chantan - Primary Colours on Culburnie Records CUL108D
Feisty Besoms - Auld Flames on Feisty Besoms FB001
Silhouette – performed by The Dunedin Consort on An Tobar Records TRCD 015
Photons In Vapour Corrina Hewat & The Light Music on Tob Records TRCD007
The Sea King's Daughter – Audio Classics on Saltire Society SSACCD001
Harp House - compilation of harpists (producer) on Harp House Records HHRCD001
Scribbled in Chalk - Karine Polwart on Shoestring Records 2005
Faultlines - Karine Polwart on Neon Records 2004
Scottish Women – Various Artistes on Greentrax CDTRAX 261
Scots Women – Various Artists (Live) on Greentrax CDTRAX 213
Ishbel MacAskill – Essentially Ishbel on Ishbel MacAskill IMCD001
Abby Newton – Castles, Kirks and Caves on Redwing Music RWMCD 5410
Horse - Hindsight…is a wonderful thing on Randan RANHCDA 02
Eric Bibb - Home To Me on Manhaton Records HATMAN2001
Andy Thorburn - Tuath gu deas on Andy Thorburn Music ATMUSCD1
The Complete Songs of Robert Tannahill Vol. I on Brechin All Records CDBAR003
The Complete Songs of Robert Burns Vols. IV, V, VI on Linn Records CKD 083, 086, 099
Scottish Love Songs – Compilation on Tartan Tapes CDTT1003
Ecosse-Scotland – Compilation on Silex/Audivis YA225708

TEACHING:
Harp tutor at the Newcastle University Traditional Applied Music Degree Course
Guest harp tutor at RSAMD's Traditional Music Degree course
Harp tutor/vocal tutor Strathclyde University, on the Applied Music Degree course Guest tutor at City of Edinburgh Broughton School specialist music department
Selkirk High Music Traditional Music School of Excellence
Fettes College 1996 - 1999
Feis Rois 1989 – 1994
Edinburgh International Harp Festival tuition and committee member 2002 onwards
Balnain House, Home of Highland Music, 1994 - 2000
Scottish Harp book and cd of my compositions and arrangements published by Taigh Na Teud 2002
Second volume to be released in 2008
WORKSHOPS:
Harmony Singing Workshops (sing and be merry!)
Scots Song (dance songs through to ballads)
Robert Burns selection
Clarsach workshops - beginners to advanced Scottish music, arranging and composition
Scottish Lullabies (from dark lonely tales to dandling songs)

Please buy my music if you can.
There are lots of Bachue tracks on
iTunes
or you can buy or download tracks at
CDBABY

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/24/2006
Band Website: corrinahewat.com
Band Members: Solo gigs with vocals and harp (Camac acoustic Aziliz and Camac Blue electroharp).

I'm now working on the idea of the Corrina Hewat Band, and will let you know if this happens. It certainly won't be a 22 piece, that's for sure. One of those is quite enough, thank you.

Duo gigs with Kathryn Tickell on Northumbrian pipes and fiddle.
http://www.kathryntickell.com

Trio gigs with Grace Hewat & Polwart
http://www.myspace.com/girlytrio

The Unusual Suspects - I am co-musical director along with David Milligan of our very own 17 piece, sometimes 22 piece, sometimes more,
SCOTTISH FOLK ORCHESTRA BIG BAND!!
with some of the main players in Scottish traditional music! We've always wanted a big band!!! It's great!

Check out ALL THE NEW VIDEOS!
http://www.unusualsuspects.uk.com
http://www.myspace.com/unusualsuspectsscotland

There have been 60 musicians who've appeared in The Unusual Suspects since it began in 2003, but the recent gigs in the Sage Gateshead and the Queens Hall, Edinburgh feature:

Catriona Macdonald - fiddle
Eilidh Shaw - fiddle
Anna Massie - fiddle/guitar
Alisdair White - fiddle
Annie Grace - pipes, whistles, vocal
Fraser Fifield - pipes, whistle
Brian McAlpine accordion
Rick Taylor - Trombone
Colin Steele - trumpet
Ryan Quigley - trumpet
Nigel Hitchcock - saxophone
Ross Martin - Guitar
Conrad Ivitsky - bass
Alyn Cosker - Drums
Donald Hay - Percussion
David Milligan - MD & piano
and me - MD & harp/vocal

The Unusual Suspects doing a set at Eden Court Theatre Inverness in 2004

THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS IN LORIENT 2007

Influences: I am lucky enough to be surrounded by wonderful, inspirational musicians and have been all my life, so influences come from all around me. One of my influences now is my beautifully talented husband David Milligan, as we share all our music, thoughts, ideas, plans, bonkers projects and all that!

Weeeell, I have an eclectic mix of music, and adore things that challenge me in some way. I love being surprised. I love being inspired by other people's music and one of my favourite things is listening.

I love most of:
Ravel, Tom Waits, Regina Spektor, Varttina, Martin Hayes, Leonard Bernstein, le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, John Scofield, Debussy, Holst, Mussorsgky, Mahler, Steve Reich, EST, Sweet Honey in the rock, Tin Hat Trio, The Bad Plus, Brad Meldau, Rickie Lee Jones, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, John Martyn, Jan Johansson, Mike Westbrook and Kate Westbrook, Richard Thompson, Linda Thompson, Misha Alperin and the Moscow Art Trio, Angelite, Oscar Peterson, Count Basie & his orchestra, the Brazz Brothers, Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, Goldfrapp, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Roches, Michael Brecker, Steps Ahead, Jaco Pastorius, Weather Report, the Yellowjackets, Ray Brown, Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Lianne Carroll, Take 6, KT Tunstall, Rufus Wainwright, actually all the Wainwrights dad esp, Madeline Eastman, Imogen Heap, Bjork, Steve Vai, Pat Metheny, Nirvana, Earth Wind and Fire ha!, the Doobie Brothers, the Muppets! they were my main influence when growing up. Rickie Lee Jones, XTC and the Muppets were my first singles. In fact that's not true. I had the whole album of the Muppets.

CORRINA HEWAT

GRACE HEWAT POLWART
Go and visit our myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/girlytrio

HARP HEAVEN at CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2008
Myself, Mary Macmaster, Patsy Seddon, Catriona McKay, Jochen Vogel, Cormac DeBarra, Laoise Kelly (she took all the 'oot 'n aboot in the Weedge' photies) Ailie Robertson, Fraya Thomsen, Gillian Fleetwood, Maeve Gilchrist, Rachel Hair

One of my favourite moments:

Sounds Like: Well you should probably listen rather than me try and pigeonhole the music. I find it difficult to put any music into categories. This is a tune I wrote for Martyn Bennett to play in my Making the Connection commission, premiered 1998 Celtic Connections New Voices

MUSIC PAST AND SUCH THINGS

Record Label: Foot Stompin' Records
Type of Label: None

My Blog

New harp album. Or is it?

Hi I am at the moment trying to piece together a harp album to be released for forthcoming harpy events such as teaching weekends, OSAS, and various other places. Should I just have harp? Should I p...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:50:00 PST

Tracks for life

12th March -I have just come back from recording a radio show with Anna Massie and Lauren MacColl. It was for Bruce MacGregor’s Strings and Things show on Radio Scotland, which will be on air t...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:39:00 PST

Direction musical

Musical Direction.  What does it mean?  To me, it seems to be shaping into "Get the best out of people."  Whether that is writing every note, every chord, every nuance and expecting all...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 11:39:00 PST

Lorient

I will not start another blog with an apology for its delay.  Nope not again.  Of course it's going to be delayed.  It will always be delayed.  I have never come back from a tour/t...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 07:02:00 PST

The State of the Union

13th July 2007Next weekend  21st July 2007, The State of the Union commission is being premiered, with a full night of music around it, being written and hosted by Kathryn Tickell and me.   ...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Sun, 15 Jul 2007 08:34:00 PST

Wee trip to Ohio

2nd July 2007 Just back from Ohio.  What a lovely time I had.  What a lovely place to be for a week.  It was the Ohio Scottish Arts School www.ohioscottishartsschool.org  which too...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Sun, 15 Jul 2007 08:32:00 PST

Lieve's photos

Hello there I just wanted to let you know that Lieve Boussauw, the wonderful Belgian photographer (her myspace is http://www.myspace.com/lievephoto) has taken some Unusual Suspects photographs fr...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Sat, 17 Mar 2007 11:47:00 PST

Unusually Suspect

Hi there everyone   What a wonderful New Year it is!  We hope you are all enjoying it, whatever the weather is doing to your roof!   GOOD NEWS! I am very happy to announce that we ...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 02:26:00 PST

Celtic Colours 10th Anniversary Festival

First night arriving!  We'd flown from Edinburgh to London to Halifax, and then had a 4 hour drive to take us to the digs.  We were picked up by Joe Maclean  a wonderful man!  Has been...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:09:00 PST

Celtic Colours

I've been trying to pack to go to Cape Breton.  Leaving in an hour or so.  Sometimes it is the easiest thing, takes only a concentrated half hour.  Not tonight.  But we have the ha...
Posted by Corrina Hewat on Fri, 06 Oct 2006 08:13:00 PST