Congratulations to Patsy Reid who has been nominated in Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CD in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2014. Vote now!
We asked Patsy Reid the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
Only three years after leaving the brilliant and loud Breabach, Patsy Reid has become probably the most in-demand traditional fiddle player in the UK. She hasn’t stopped working.
She performed alongside Dougie Maclean and Kylie Minogue at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony, with Zakir Hussain at the London 2012 Olympic Festival, and since 2013 has visited India four times, collaborating with Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and fellow British musicians. There were also numerous appearances at Celtic Connections, commissions and tours with celebrated Northumbrian piper, Kathryn Tickell.
In the studio Patsy is a one woman string quartet, contributing violin, viola and cello to albums by Donald Shaw, Duncan Chisholm, Bella Hardy, Treacherous Orchestra, Tim Edey and most recently, Cruinn.
But after all that collaboration it’s time for Patsy herself to take centre stage with the release of her 3rd solo album, The Brightest Path.
Fellow fiddle player Aidan O’Rourke from the band Lau says: “She has an accuracy and tone that many fiddlers only dream of. She has truly mastered her instrument and has developed a unique style which seems to grow in depth and maturity each time I hear her.”
And the celebrated Northumbrian piper Kathryn Tickell says of Patsy: “She’s a fantastic musician, a lovely fiddle player and a joy to be with. No wonder everybody wants to work with her.”
But for now, everybody will have to wait. In February 2014 she released The Brightest Path, which received sparkling reviews and was recently named among Songlines’ Top 10 Scottish Albums.
Despite her busy schedule, Patsy makes time to teach her craft to musicians of all ages in Scotland and beyond. With a PGCE and Post Graduate Diploma of string pedagogy from the Royal Northern College of Music, she currently contributes to the new UHI Applied Music degree, Newcastle University’s Folk Degree, Alasdair Fraser’s Fiddle & Cello Week on Skye as well as teaching around 20 private students in her home town of Perth.
Why are you involved in Scottish music?
It’s just kind of happened! I have to pinch myself sometimes as I can’t believe I am able to support myself by performing, writing and teaching music. As a youngster I learnt classical violin alongside Scottish fiddle and although I now have a Post Graduate Diploma in classical violin, I always knew that Scottish music would dominate my career. Like all musical genres I suppose, Scottish music has a plethora of sub-genres and networks and as a fiddle player I am lucky to have the opportunity to collaborate with many different instrumentalists and singers within Scotland’s rich musical scene.
Any particular career highlights?
Performing in Dougie MacLean’s band at the Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony is a particularly recent highlight. We were even joined by Kylie Minogue for Auld Lang Syne!
Having the opportunity to visit India four times in the past 2 years has been fantastic and I have met many wonderful new friends and musicians as a result.
In 2011, I was part of Zakir Hussain’s Pulse of the World, which premiered at the Celtic Connections opening concert. That was an amazing experience and since then we have performed at the London 2012 Olympic Festival and are soon to be touring India and USA. Lucky me!
What are your plans for the future?
As a freelance musician I’m able to prioritise certain projects and since releasing The Brightest Path, I have enjoyed focusing on my own music and touring as a 4-piece band. I hope to continue to have the opportunity to be involved in exciting collaborations in Scotland and beyond as well as developing my solo work. Since leaving Breabach in 2011, I have enjoyed a certain amount of independence and control over my musical commitments, however, I realise that one day, I would like to be in a band again with like-minded people, when the time is right!
Read more about Patsy Reid
http://www.patsyreid.com
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!
