Atlantic Edge Music Services

Chris Stout and Catriona McKay

AEMS SERVICES: MANAGMENT AND AGENCY

Two internationally acclaimed and award winning musicians in their own right, within one astounding duo.

Check out this TV clip of them playing the 'Smugglers Set'

And how about this for a version of the Hangman's Reel

STOP PRESS - Chris and Catriona's new album 'White Nights' released June 2010 to terrific reviews. See News section of this website for further info on this.

CHRIS STOUT

Hailing from Shetland, Chris in now recognised as one of Scotland’s finest fiddle and violin players effortlessly blending traditional, classical, jazz and indeed world influences to create startlingly original sound-scapes, while nevertheless remaining largely true to his musical roots. 

He took the opportunity to study classical music at school and traditional music at home, including informal ‘lessons’ with the famous Shetland fiddle player Willie Hunter Jr., mainly in the company of band mates ‘Fiddlers Bid’. Chris won the prestigious Shetland fiddle championship ‘Young Fiddler of the Year’ before leaving Shetland to study in Glasgow – first at the Douglas Academy of Music and then on to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) in the city, ultimately obtaining two music degrees.

Since then Chris has performed on many world stages in many guises, with the bands Fiddlers Bid and the Chris Stout Quintet (now called the Chris Stout Theory), as a duo with harpist Catriona McKay, or indeed as a solo artist in his own right.

He has also been a member of bands such as Salsa Celtic and the Finlay MacDonald Band and undertaken many national and international music projects, tours and collaborations – adding further to his eclectic range of talents.

In 2007 Chris was commissioned by the BBC and Celtic Connections festival to compose a special piece of music for the festival, where he ultimately led the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra during the performance of the piece to huge critical acclaim.

In a similarly related context Chris has also performed with the Singapore Chinese National Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. 

Recommended albums – Chris Stout:

• ‘First o’ the Darkenin’ (2004)
• ‘Devils Advocate’ (2007)

CATRIONA MCKAY

  Catriona McKay is universally recognised as one of Scotland’s finest harp players – perhaps of any generation. Indeed the Herald in Glasgow labelled her “....the harpist of the 21st Century”. 

She was brought up in Dundee where she became involved with traditional music through her father who was highly active on the national folk music scene. She was also introduced to classical and contemporary music through her mother, who was a ballet and dance teacher.

One of her early successes was triumphing at the O’ Carolan International Harp Festival in Ireland, which led to a desire to master harp techniques at an advanced level, initially at the RSAMD, where she not only gained a first class BA honours degree and several solo and chamber prizes, but also met fellow musician Chris Stout.

She was then awarded a Caird Trust scholarship and an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music scholarship to attend the Royal Northern College of Music. She also joined Yehudi Menuin’s ‘Live Music Now’ scheme and was a finalist in the BBC Radio 3 Young Musician of the Year competition.

In addition to now being an internationally lauded musician in her own right and as a duo with Chris, Catriona is also a member of Fiddlers Bid and the Chris Stout Theory, to name but a few of her many musical entities.

In addition to recording, and live performance, Catriona is harp and clarsach teacher at Scotland’s specialist music school, St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh, and also guest harp teacher at the RSAMD, Royal Northern College of Music; Chethams School of Music; City of Edinburgh Broughton School; and the Limerick Irish World Music Centre.

She has also acted as an examiner, taught harp courses, workshops and master classes around the world and acted as an adjudicator in many harp competitions, again around the world.

Recommended albums – Catriona McKay:

• ‘Catriona McKay’ (2002)
• ‘Starfish’ (2007)

Separately Chris and Catriona are two wonderful musicians in their own rights – together...........well we will leave that to your hopefully fertile musical imagination.

Rest assured you will be treated to quite astounding musicianship, crossing many musical boundaries, that will excite, relax and quite simply take your breath away in equal measures.

Recommended albums – Catriona McKay and Chris Stout:

• ‘Laebrack’ (2005)
• 'White Nights' 2010

www.catrionamckay.co.uk
www.myspace.com/catrionamckayharp

 

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