MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards: Hamish Napier

Congratulations to Hamish Napier who has been nominated in Music Tutor of the Year sponsored by Creative Scotland Youth Music Initiative in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2014. Vote now!

We asked Hamish Napier the following questions.

Tell us about yourself
It’s crazy when I think of what I do for a living: I disturb the air around me to make vibrations, as a means to create an emotional effect. I do this through the voice and through playing piano, keyboards, flutes, whistles and my feet (I’m a pretty average Scottish step dancer though!). It’s not enough to just play the music however: I also have to capture it, consolidate it, write it, read it, produce it, record it, promote it, sell it and/or analyse it. One of my very favourite parts of the job are when someone asks me for guidance in music, and I get to share my ideas and experiences with a person who is genuinely interested: and so I love teaching.

I have been teaching Scottish music for over a decade: at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD), The University of Strathclyde, Stow College, UHI, National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music, privately and at music schools and festivals worldwide. The last two years I have also had the privilege of musically directing the Ceol Mor youth folk big band for Aberdeen International Youth Festival. I’ll happily share any of the stuff I’ve learned about music with anyone that’s interested. I have been extremely lucky to have had many great teachers over the years, however those who become my greatest mentors are those who seek to make that crucial musical connection with me from to word ‘go’, instead of just preaching a set curriculum at me. I strive to listen to my students more, so I can find out what musical skills they want to focus on the most.

Why are you involved in Scottish music?
Originally from Grantown-on-Spey in the Scottish Highlands, I grew up with Feis Spe, classical music training, TMSA festivals, family house ceilidhs, village dances and folk groups. I moved down to Glasgow as a teenager, immersing myself in it’s vibrant music scene as I studied Astronomy and Music at universities there. I’ve been there ever since, apart from a year in the USA taking up a scholarship I was awarded for Boston’s Berklee College of Music.

Any particular career highlights?
I perform with Adam Sutherland (in ‘Nae Plans’), The Cask Strength Ceilidh Band, Mairi MacInnes Band, Jarlath Henderson Band, Man’s Ruin, Marc Duff and James Mackenzie Band. I’ve recorded with leading Scottish musicians such as: Donald Shaw, Karen Matheson, Martyn Bennett, Duncan Chisholm, Treacherous Orchestra and Eddi Reader and have collaborated with many of the UK’s finest folk musicians for festivals, national TV & radio. I had the honour of touring this summer with The Battlefield Band, Mike Vass and Iain Macfarlane’s ‘Donnachadh Ban Boys’, and I’m having tremendous craic producing Mairi Macinnes’ new solo album right now, to be launched at Celtic Connections. For seven years I had a blast touring in Europe and North America as a founding member of award-winning Scottish folk quartet Back of the Moon. I was also nominated for Best Up and Coming Artist at the Scots Trad Awards.

What are your plans for the future?
I aim to continue experiencing, creating and sharing music with others. I believe that you cannot separate the ‘folk’ from the ‘folk music’ – music comes from peoples lives and is best understood through endeavoring to understand and listen to the people you have the privilege of sharing music with: students, fellow musicians, promoters, agents, producers, composers, but most importantly of all, audiences.

Buy a ticket for the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 13th December in Inverness Leisure, start time 7pm. You’ll have a great time!