Original commissions heritage/historical
I can compose in all of Scotland’s languages, medieval and modern mostly using the time-honoured traditional metres and in most styles and topics.
My particular passions is that of finding the lesser known heroes of virtue and extolling them in verse.
Although I had been composing before this, my first commission was for the 6 anniversaries taking place in 1997 on the day of the great referendum, the most notable anniversary being the Battle of Stirling Bridge. This was performed (sung with original melody) in the Smith’s Gallery, Stirling together with tales from Blin’ Harry’s epic poem ‘The Wallis’ (Wallace)., the poem that was the inspiration for the epic blockbuster movie, Braveheart.
Further to this Marbhrann do Dhomhnall Deoraidh (Lament to Donald Dewar) was first published in Chapman issue 98 and again in a Clan Gregor (for whom the piece was also performed) News letter of the same year and was also performed for the Clan MacNab Society. This piece is also archived in the Scottish Poetry Library. Further to this more have been forth coming for Clan Gregor Society including the lament to the 23rd chief who passed away in 2003.
In 2009 for the great Homecoming celebration I composed the choral song ‘The Falcon of Clan Gregor’ (Seabhag Chlann Griogair) for the society. This was also filmed at Stirling University and on Inch Caileach, Loch Lomond for the Clan Gregor Society’s museum in the USA,
Examples of recent heritage commissions were The 'Auld Allyaunce' (2016) for a poetry evening and for from the then Provost of Stirling (2012) when I was asked to compose a piece celebrating the re-emerging cultural links between Galway city in Ireland and Stirling. The piece Seann Nighean Chuinn - Olden Daughter of Conn (published in the periodical Poetry Scotland, summer 2012) is a dialogue between Stirling in Scots Gaelic and Galway in Irish Gaelic, with a rhyming rendering also in Doric for good measure. This was also performed live on Radio na Gaeltachta in Galway during the Stirling/Galway Sessions.
Concurrently with this, on behalf of the Guardians of Scotland Trust, a companion poem De Moray, published 2013 (2,000 lines) constructed in medieval Scots with a rhyming rendering also in English (4,000 lines in all) with appendixes for educational purposes will soon be ready for the press. This celebrates the life and times of Sir Andrew de Moray, co-commander with William Wallace, who died in active service for his king, a short time after wounds received at the Battle of Stirling 1297.
My particular passions is that of finding the lesser known heroes of virtue and extolling them in verse.
Although I had been composing before this, my first commission was for the 6 anniversaries taking place in 1997 on the day of the great referendum, the most notable anniversary being the Battle of Stirling Bridge. This was performed (sung with original melody) in the Smith’s Gallery, Stirling together with tales from Blin’ Harry’s epic poem ‘The Wallis’ (Wallace)., the poem that was the inspiration for the epic blockbuster movie, Braveheart.
Further to this Marbhrann do Dhomhnall Deoraidh (Lament to Donald Dewar) was first published in Chapman issue 98 and again in a Clan Gregor (for whom the piece was also performed) News letter of the same year and was also performed for the Clan MacNab Society. This piece is also archived in the Scottish Poetry Library. Further to this more have been forth coming for Clan Gregor Society including the lament to the 23rd chief who passed away in 2003.
In 2009 for the great Homecoming celebration I composed the choral song ‘The Falcon of Clan Gregor’ (Seabhag Chlann Griogair) for the society. This was also filmed at Stirling University and on Inch Caileach, Loch Lomond for the Clan Gregor Society’s museum in the USA,
Examples of recent heritage commissions were The 'Auld Allyaunce' (2016) for a poetry evening and for from the then Provost of Stirling (2012) when I was asked to compose a piece celebrating the re-emerging cultural links between Galway city in Ireland and Stirling. The piece Seann Nighean Chuinn - Olden Daughter of Conn (published in the periodical Poetry Scotland, summer 2012) is a dialogue between Stirling in Scots Gaelic and Galway in Irish Gaelic, with a rhyming rendering also in Doric for good measure. This was also performed live on Radio na Gaeltachta in Galway during the Stirling/Galway Sessions.
Concurrently with this, on behalf of the Guardians of Scotland Trust, a companion poem De Moray, published 2013 (2,000 lines) constructed in medieval Scots with a rhyming rendering also in English (4,000 lines in all) with appendixes for educational purposes will soon be ready for the press. This celebrates the life and times of Sir Andrew de Moray, co-commander with William Wallace, who died in active service for his king, a short time after wounds received at the Battle of Stirling 1297.
