MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards: Angus G. MacLeod

Congratulations to Angus G. MacLeod who has been nominated in Gaelic singer of the Year sponsored by Macmeanmna in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2014. Vote now!

We asked Angus G. MacLeod the following questions.

Tell us about yourself
My main musical interests are in traditional Gaelic song.
I was very fortunate to have been deeply immersed in Gaelic language, music and culture from birth. From my family I learned not just a wide repertoire of songs, but the authentic unembellished traditional style of unaccompanied singing. Along with that came a deep appreciation of where these songs have come from, and their relevance to our culture, country and people, which places them in their proper context.
These songs aren’t just beautiful sounds (though they certainly are that): they communicate truths about love, loss, hope, heartache, spirit and soul which deserve not just to be preserved but also to be performed to modern audiences with accuracy, honesty and clarity. They reflect the lives of our forebears but are also very relevant to who we are today.
Brought up in Inverness in a Gaelic-speaking home by parents who between them had Lewis, South Uist and Skye backgrounds, I competed at Mòds throughout my childhood. After escaping from Glasgow University with degrees in Law and in Gaelic & Politics, I trained as a solicitor in the firm in which I’m now a partner. During my time in Glasgow I sang for a few years with the Govan Gaelic Choir and was involved in the Gaelic community through An Lòchran and the Glasgow Highland Society.
Back in Inverness now, I’m married with two daughters who are in Gaelic medium education and my wife is learning Gaelic too. My children, and joining Inverness Gaelic Choir and male Gaelic singing group Trosg, brought me back to singing. My greatest pleasure is being able to begin to pass to my daughters and their contemporaries the precious musical inheritance I’ve received.

Why are you involved in Scottish music?
I believe strongly that the music and song we have in Scotland, and in Gaelic Scotland in particular, is precious and irreplaceable. It’s a gift from previous generations that we have to care for and protect, add to, and then pass on to future generations.
Also, while legal practice can be challenging and rewarding, performance is more spontaneous and adrenalin-filled – and fun!

Any particular career highlights?
Winning the An Comunn Gàidhealach Gold Medal at the Royal National Mòd in Inverness this year, and the Traditional Gold Medal at the National Mòd in Golspie in 1995.
It’s also been great singing with the award-winning Inverness Gaelic Choir and with Trosg over the last couple of years. Over the past twelve months we’ve sung at Hootananny and the Ironworks Showcase in Inverness; Eden Court Theatre and Inverness Cathedral as part of the Blas festival; the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and the South Bank Centre in London as part of the PRS Foundation’s New Music Biennial (performing Mary Ann Kennedy and Scott Macmillan’s fabulous groundbreaking new composition Aiseag), and also at the Tartan Heart Festival at Belladrum. 2014 has been a busy year!

What are your plans for the future?
My legal practice and having a young family keeps me very busy but I get a great sense of satisfaction and joy from singing. I hope to do more whenever possible – solo, with Inverness Gaelic Choir and with Trosg; learning new songs and passing on the ones I know to my children and others. I’d love sometime to record a CD of traditional songs. I also hope to make a different contribution to the Gaelic community through my recent involvement as a director of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Gaelic College.

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!