It’s been a busy old time of it since my last update. Between touring, writing and recording with Mànran (you can read all about their adventures here) and edging ever closer to finishing my now-mythical “proper” solo album, there hasn’t been an awful lot of spare time for keeping this news page up to date. And then there’s wedding planning but that’s a whole different ball-game!
Outwith my usual work, I did find myself involved in making the soundtrack for a forthcoming ITV adaption of Jane Austen’s unfinished novel “Sanditon”. Working alongside top film & TV composer Ruth Barrett, I was tasked with sourcing dance tunes that had been popular during the Regency period and recording them for the soundtrack with a crack-team of the country’s top folk musicians. This, perhaps inevitably, led to some of us being asked to feature on-screen and a couple of days filming in full Regency garb. Great craic - I don’t need much of an excuse to dress-up at the best of times - and a fascinating insight into the intense world of big TV dramas. As you might expect, there are some smashing photos to accompany this but they may have to wait until the series airs later this year.
I spent most of the last month touring Australia with Mànran but, prior to my departure ‘Down Under’, I had the pleasure of teaching at the fantastic Fochabers Fiddle Week. This is an excellent fiddle school for young players of all abilities and I thoroughly enjoyed my week. Really well run by Jack Smedley & Mhairi Marwick, all involved seemed to have a great time and, for sure, there are some really promising young players up in that neck of the woods!