Tutors and Instruments
Accordion
Sandy Brechin
Sandy has played in many bands, but is probably best known for his work with the Scottish bands, Bùrach and Seelyhoo, with whom he has toured extensively. Sandy is also well known as a teacher of accordion. He teaches annually at the Celtic Connections festival workshops and is guest tutor at the RSAMD, Newcastle University, Lews Castle College Benbecula, Fèis Ghleann Albainn (Fort Augustus), Fèis Lochabair (Fort William), Fèis an Earraich (Skye), Fèis Rois Inbhich (Adult Feis in Ullapool), Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Summer Courses (Skye), Fèis ‘sa Mheadhan (Fest o the Mids, Stirling), Fèis Dhun Eideann (Edinburgh), Edinburgh Youth Gatherin, and ALP Scots Music Group.
Bagpipe
Iain MacFadyen
Hailing from a famous family of pipers from the Isle of Mull, Iain took up the pipes at an early age, going on to become one of the most successful competitors of all time. In 1973 Iain became piping instructor for Skye and Lochalsh, retiring in 2001 after having influenced the upsurge in piping standards both locally and nationally through his work as examiner and advisor to the SQA. Iain was made a Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland for his outstanding contribution to Scottish education, inducted into the Traditional Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and awarded the Balvenie medal for services to piping in 2008.
Cello and scots song
Wendy Weatherby
Wendy Weatherby graduated from the RSAMD (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) in 1983. Her career as a cellist and singer has led her to perform with artists of many styles and backgrounds.
She has two solo albums to her credit, plus recordings of her Celtic Connections commissions ‘Daybreak on the World’s Edge’ and ‘Sunset Song’.
Wendy taught cello in Edinburgh schools for 13 years and has hosted many workshops throughout Scotland. She is a musician very much in-demand both as a cellist and a singer.
Clàrsach
Ingrid Henderson
Ingrid Henderson lives in Glenfinnan, at the head of Loch Shiel. Being born and brought up in Lochaber, she was lucky enough to be surrounded by traditional music since birth. With early guidance from music tutors such as Savourna Stevenson, Angus Grant and strong family influences, she began performing, touring and recording at a young age.
Winning the 1990 BBC Radio 2 Young Tradition Award at thirteen resulted in world-wide performance opportunities including the Vancouver Folk Festival, Lorient in Brittany, and Dranouter, in Belgium. Solo work turned into more collaborative projects firstly working with her brother Allan, (Blazin’ Fiddles) to produce a number of albums and in more recent times with Gaelic band ‘Cliar’, and in a duo with Skye-based singer Anne Martin. She has also performed live and recorded with many other great artists such as Margaret Stewart, Julie Fowlis, Altan, Iain MacDonald, Daimh and Mary Smith.
As well as performance and recording work she is involved in other aspects of the Gaelic arts field such as composing for television, musical direction and developing youth arts provision within my home area of Lochaber. She released her first solo album 'The Little Beauty” in 2005 on Old Laundry Productions, the record label and studio she runs with her husband Iain MacFarlane.
Drums
Sam Brown
Sam Brown is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and now lives on the Isle of Skye. He is behind the 'Drum Secrets' online courses and apps, and is a much sought after teacher. Along with lecturing and teaching, Sam is also a highly experienced piano tuner and technician.
Fiddle and 6th year studies
Gordon Gunn
Gordon Gunn has been described as "one of the most exciting and innovative fiddle players of the times." A respected fiddle tutor, composer and session musician, Gordon was born & brought up in Wick, Caithness. He was taught by the highly respected violin teacher Margaret Henderson, who taught many pupils in the north including Addie Harper snr & jnr. Whilst working with Session A9 & the Eilidh MacKenzie Band, Gordon also tours with his own band. His compositions have been recorded by many artistes including Session A9, Phil Cunningham & Aly Bain, Ingrid Henderson, American fiddler Rodney Miller and "McGregor, Brechin & O'Headra" to name but a few.
Fiddle and 6th Year Studies
Innes Watson
Innes Watson, from Glasgow, is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist with over two decades of experience in performing, recording, teaching and producing. He grew up in the Scottish Borders in very supportive musical surroundings encouraging an extremely eclectic mix of skills, abilities, interests and accolades that combine to make Innes one of the most highly-regarded and sought-after musicians on the folk scene today.
He has taught at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (having graduated from there with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Scottish Music in 2006) and is a firm favourite for adult and youth learning organisations up and down the country. He has appeared on at least 42 albums released in Scotland in the last 16 years and has worked with some of the most notable performers in the country. In 2011 he won the title of “Instrumentalist of the Year” at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards and has featured heavily therein with bands and as accompanist to dozens of performers.
Gaelic Song
Rachel Walker
Rachel was brought up in the small village of Kinlochewe in Wester Ross. There she was encouraged by her school-teacher to compete at local Mòd’s and perform at local cèilidhs, and with regular attendance of Fèis Rois, she soon fell in love with the songs, language and culture of the Gael.
After studying classical music at Napier, Rachel was accepted onto the first year of the BA Scottish Music course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Since then, Rachel has performed extensively throughout Scotland and further afield. She has recorded three solo albums, and has added her voice to many other recordings.
As a composer, Rachel has been commissioned to compose for organisations such as Scotland Sings and SNH, and her work has been showcased at festivals such as the Royal National Mòd and Celtic Connections. Her song-writing has earned critical acclaim, with her song Fada Bhuam chosen to represent Scotland at the Liet international song contest, and her recent single ‘Arms of the Ocean’ reached number 1 in the World Music download chart.
In 2013 Rachel was voted Gaelic Singer of the Year at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards. She was also nominated in the Composer of the Year category in 2015. Rachel won the An Comunn Gaidhealach Gold Medal for solo Gaelic singing in 2017. She performs with Gaelic quartet Cruinn and performs regularly with Skipinnish.
Guitar
Jack Evans
Multi instrumentalist Jack Evans has been involved in the Scottish music scene for many years, as a member of Jock Tamson’s Bairns, The Easy Club and The Cauld Blast Orchestra. Known primarily as a guitarist, Jack also plays mandolin, bass, whistle and flute. He has played on many albums as a session musician and has written music for several stage presentations. More recently, Jack has established a reputation as one of traditional music’s leading record producers, working on a variety of projects from the very traditional to the contemporary dance stylings of his Keltik Elektrik projects for G2 records. Jack is a lecturer and tutor on the RSAMD’s B.A. (Scottish Music) course.
Piano
Andy Thorburn
Andy Thorburn is one of Scotland’s busiest and most versatile musicians, and is probably best known as the piano player with Blazin’ Fiddles. His new solo CD of own compositions, Piano, was released to great critical acclaim in January 2005. Recent work includes the With Strings Attached tour with Blazin’ Fiddles, playing on Peatbog Faeries’ forthcoming album, writing music for Grey Coast Theatre’s production Song of Sutherland, typesetting Paul Anderson’s Cromar Collection, acting as the external examiner at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, working as the musical director for the opening concert at the Hebridean Celtic Festival 2003, and advising the government on music curriculum development in schools.
Whistle and 6th year studies
Lorne MacDougall
Lorne MacDougall, from Carradale in Kintyre, is a contemporary piper and multi-instrumentalist known for seamlessly integrating his sounds into movie and television soundtracks with credits including “Brave”, “Whisky Galore” and “How to Train Your Dragon 2”, “Doctor Who” and “Thunderbirds”. He toured for 5 years with the pioneering traditional folk band The Tannahill Weavers, piping supergroup Tryst and co-produced and performed all releases from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers. He makes regular media appearances ranging from talent shows like “The X Factor” and “Come Dine with Me” to crime dramas such as BBC 1’s “Shetland” and is no stranger to presenting being behind the online radio show “PlanetPipe” and occasional presenter on BBC Radio Scotland. As a composer his tunes have been recorded by some of the folk scene’s greatest artists as well as taken on board as the theme tune to Sky Sports’ SPL Football coverage. Recent times have seen him achieve a 2012 MG Alba Scots Music Awards Instrumentalist of the Year Nomination and previously placed 3 times in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Final. He has an Honours Degree in Scottish Music specialising in Bagpipes.
6th year studies
Mhairi Hall
Mhairi Hall was born and brought up in Aviemore, Strathspey. She received her undergraduate degree in Gaelic Studies from the University of Aberdeen and continued on to a post-graduate programme at the University of Limerick. There, she completed an MA in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the Irish World Music Centre under the guidance of renowned pianist, composer and academic Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin. Mhairi has created a unique Scottish/Gaelic style of piano playing, and is now working on projects with Gaelic singer Kathleen Graham and Swedish singer Ulrika Gunnarsson. She has performed throughout Scotland, Ireland, England and Germany with bands such as ‘Cluanas’, ‘Dannsa’ and ‘Dòchas’.
6th year studies and Gaelic language
Deirdre Graham
Growing up in a musical family on the Isle of Skye, Deirdre was steeped in Gaelic culture from an early age. She went on to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before moving to China and Malaysia, where she embraced the local music and traditions. Since returning home Deirdre has been active in promoting Gaelic music.
Taking a contemporary approach to Scottish Gaelic singing, Deirdre Graham’s raw and emotive vocal performances combine with rich orchestration to evoke powerful themes in song and story.
Deirdre’s passion for the story behind the songs resulted in her self-produced podcast series, Gaelic Song Stories (2021), in which she interviewed revered tradition bearers, historians, and local experts. The series resonated with a global audience and invited the listener into the heart and soul of the Gael (Highlander) and gave a deep sense of connection to Scottish culture, family, and heritage.
Alongside her solo work, Deirdre has enjoyed collaborating with many artists over the years, including Niteworks, TradBeats, Kapil Seshasayee, and a songwriting project with Chamber Music Scotland. She has toured across the UK and internationally, and has featured at many folk festivals and events, including Celtic Connections, HebCelt, MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.
School Assistant
Ruairidh Gollan
Ruairidh is a fiddle and accordion player from Edderton, on the shores of the Dornoch Firth. He is a former student of the music school and later studied on the Applied Music degree course with the University of the Highlands.
Ruairidh grew up taking part in various Fèis Rois initiatives and other projects including KIN & the Community and The Boy & the Bunnet. He also currently spearheads Sutherland Sessions, promoting live music and artists around his home area.
Media Assistant
Robert John MacInnes
Robert is a former student of the music school and is currently the only student to complete the six years of high school at the centre. He is from Kishorn originally, but is now based on the Isle of Skye.
His released his debut music EP 'Ri Taobh a' Chuain' in 2023.
Alongside his music, Robert also works as a radio presenter at Radio Skye and showcases traditional music through his programme Friday Night Trad.