My Music
Over the years I have been performing a broad repertoire of songs in Scots, English, Gaelic and Italian - languages I also speak - in addition to songs in my native German language. I enjoy performing and entertaining an audience with songs and stories, and love to focus on the background and history of the songs. I have been performing solo and with an Irish band that has sadly since stopped playing together. So far I have performed in Germany, Ireland, and, of course, Scotland and England.
In 2013 I won the Learners’ Traditional Singing Competition at the National Mod - the first non-UK person to have that honour.
In 2022, I won the prestigious Silver Pendant Competition, the main solo singing competition for learners - a huge achievement and honour.
If you would like me to sing or teach a song workshop at an event you’re organising, please do get in touch.
I have considerable experience teaching in various settings, from lecturing at university, teaching CPD courses to jointly teaching song workshops with Margaret Bennett as one of the co-directors of her charity Grace Notes Scotland.
https://www.gracenotescotland.org/
The T
The Song of the Wise Women
On 30 October 2022, we held a commemoration event for the women in East Lothian who were unjustly accused and killed as witches. For the event, I wrote the English version of a beautiful German song written by Kim Barkmann, the Song of the Wise Women. his.
Norland Wind
I have always loved the poetry of Violet Jacobs and this song, set to music by Jim Reid, is stunning. It is the conversation between a man, far from his home in Angus, and the North Wind and the wind describes what it has seen on its journey from the north.
Na sguaban arbhair
A Runrig song from their first album and the first Gaelic song that I worked on with my band. I still love this beautiful, gentle song about remembering a happy childhood. This is a recording from one of the band’s rehearsals.
Es war einmal ein Fischer
The ballad of the fisherman’s blind daughter. Every night she goes to the sea and sings until one day a stranger appears in the village who takes her with him deep into the ocean to his kingdom.
La Montanara
‘La Montanara, ohe, is heard being sung, let's sing La Montanara and who doesn't know it…?’
A song written for and about the beautiful Alto Adige, the mountains of South Tyrol or Northern Italy. In the second verse the song talks about ‘Soreghina, the daughter of the sun’ - that line refers to the myths and stories of the Alto Adige. In fact, it was La Montanara that raised my interest in these myths, and when I read the story of the Fanes people and discovered their connection to the marmots, I decided to link both, combining my photographs of marmots with the story of the Fanes.
Du weisser Schnee
Another beautiful German song. In 2016 I was invited to sing two German WW1 songs at a concert that showed that there was grief and loss on all sides. The concert was recorded by BBC Radio nan Gaidheal and broadcast on Armistice Day. This song was written by one of Germany’s best known authors, Hermann Hesse. The beautiful intro was written by Jim McGrory.
Fear a’bhàta - The boatman
One of Gaeldom’s favourites, this song has been translated into Irish and English. The age-old story of the girl waiting for her lover, worrying that he has a girl in every harbour and hearing stories from others that he’s not faithful to her. This one, however, has a happy ending as he did return to her. A live recording from a concert my band gave.
THE SCOTTISH CRANNOG CENTRE
Since 2016 I have been volunteering regularly at the Scottish Crannog Centre where I am the ‘Gaelic singer in residence’, sing for the visitors on the shore of Loch Tay, or demonstrate how women in the old days would sing working songs while weaving, churning butter and waulking tweed. I recorded two weaving songs for Jason Oliver, the ancient textiles expert, who has built a fantastic large loom. I have also learned to cook Iron Age food in the Crannog kitchen area - my honey flatbread has become famed far and wide!
The ‘Salute to Rona’ project
A double CD to pay tribute to one of the greatest pipers and singers, Rona Lightfoot, nee MacDonald, from South Uist with pipe tunes, pibroch songs and Rona’s own memories. I contributed 3 pibroch songs to that CD.
Available to purchase at: https://linnphippsfolk.co.uk/salute-to-rona-lightfoot/#listen_buy
Last year, I began working with a local community group who create living history experiences, three ladies who are passionate about social history and who create living history events. Through crafts, storytelling, drama, music and exhibitions they bring people of all ages together to discover the past. I am now contributing songs to their events - the picture shows the celebration and re-enactment of the Witches Pardon by the Baron of Prestoungrange.
