Added on Wednesday 22 Aug 2012

Interview with Fiona J Mackenzie!!! By Helen St.Helen (2009)

I was very honored to be able to interview the very lovely and gifted Fiona J Mackenzie. Fiona is a Gaelic singer from Scotland; her recent album is A Good Suit of Clothes on the Greentrax label. I highly recommend you check it out!!!!! You can also find her at www.fionamackenzie.org !!!! I hope you'll have a look!!!

Helen
How long have you been performing?

Fiona
I've performed since I was small but I really started performing professionally about 7/8 years ago- part tI'm then as I also had a Gaelic Song development post with the Local Govt. I now sing professionally full time.

Helen
Did you grow up speaking Gaelic?

Fiona
- No, I was brought up in the Scots tradition rather than Gaelic. I learned first of all when my children went to Gaelic nursery school then when they were all at school full time, I undertook 2 years full time Gaelic immersion at College with not a word of English spoken. I then worked for 4 years as a Classroom Assistant in the Gaelic school.

Helen
As a singer and individual do you feel it is important to preserve Gaelic?

Fiona
Absolutely! Without one glimmer of a doubt. I spend my life promoting and helping to develop awareness and accessibility to both the language and the Culture. The language defines who we are and where we came from- and where we are going.

Helen
Is Gaelic widely spoken in Scotland?

Fiona: There are about 70000 speakers now- the decline has not halted but is slowing. It is most widely spoken in the Outer Hebrides and Glasgow although there are pockets all over the Highlands.

Helen
How did you get your start in music?

Fiona
I first started singing Scots songs along with my father, who was well known as a Scots Folk Singer. From there I went on to study classical song at school where I also learned to play the Bassoon. I studied music at University for 2 years and completed my degree in Scots History. When the kids went to school, I joined a Gaelic choir here in Rossshire which really helped me to get to grips with the sounds of the language. From then on, I studied Gaelic song in depth, being lucky enough to learn from some of the best tradition bearers in Gaeldom. I carried on singing competitively at the Royal National Mod and won The Gold Medal in 2005 which is the premier prize for Gaelic Singing. This has opened up lots of opportunities for me for which I'm very grateful. I've also taught a lot of Song overseas which as been fantastic- I'm very lucky to have had these chances.

Helen
Have you always had a love for Celtic/Folk music?

Fiona
Yes, I think that being brought up in the Scots tradition has meant that I've just grown up with it and it's just a natural part of my life now. I also have a great interest however in how traditional music can adapt and develop- like anything, it has to adapt to survI've. I like to experiment with styles and sounds.

Helen
Who inspires you the most in music and who were some of your role models growing up?

Fiona
Musically, it was my dad and my granny my dad played guitar and my granny was a dab hand on the banjo! Professionally, it would have to be someone like Mairi Smith from Lewis, one of the most authentic and best respected figures in traditional Gaelic song.

Helen
What are some challenges you face in music, has it ever gotten difficult?

Fiona
I'm not the kind of person to give up easily when it comes to problems - I just look on them as challenges. yes it's been particularly hard for me, not being a native speaker, there are a lot of prejudices against learners, even learners like me who have devoted their lives to promoting Gaelic. I've had to prove that I don't just regard Gaelic as a hobby. However I think I've finally been accepted in a way really, largely to do with the fact that my 3 children are all Gaelic speakers and musicians too, and they after all are the future of the culture? I've had to push myself musically too in the recording of my last 2 albums, but in a pleasant way really. I've learned a lot from Irvin, my producer who comes from a different musical background to myself ( rock and musical theatre). Working with him has really made me re-assess the whole Gaelic Song 'thing' and approach it from an entirely different perspectI've

Helen
Who are some musicians and singers you've had the privilege to work with?

Fiona
I've been lucky enough to sing with most of the well-known singers around- Karen Matheson, Cathy Ann Macphee, James Graham, Mairi Smith, Rachel Walker, Julie Fowlis, Maggie Macinnes, as well as classical musicians such as the wonderful Mr. McFalls Chamber String Quartet., the fantastic John Goldie, jazz guitarist, Simone Welsh , the most fabulous fiddler on this planet. Hamish Napier, Fraser Fifeld, Anna Massie. James Mackintosh- it's been truly fabulous to work with guys like these, a dream come true- I felt like bowing when they come in the door! But the most inspiring musician of all has be Irvin, my producer- he just instinctively knows how to get the best out of me and what the songs require- I have learnt so much from him.

Helen
Any tours or new material coming up you wish to share?

Fiona
I've got a great recital this weekend in a lovely traditional Scottish castle which will be a very classy affair champagne and bubbly no less! Its the Year of Homecoming in Scotland and Gaelic hasn't had a high profile this year so I decided to try to do something to redress the balance- the Diaspora after all, were mainly the Gaels from the Highlands and Islands. I'll have a few gigs in the run up to Christmas too because of my Christmas album, Duan Nollaig, which is the only Scottish Gaelic album on release today.. Im also looking at doing a spot of writing if I can just get the time. I've been experimenting with a bit of rock singing for an American composer whom I met through MySpace and that's been an interesting adventure for me! Im also hoping to get an international tour organized for 2010- were working on plans for that so if there are any festivals or concert promoters who would like me to come to perform, please get in touch!

Helen
You are a Burnsong Winner - how does that feel and can you explain a bit to the readers what that is?

Fiona
Burnsong is a major International Song writing initiative focusing in what's good to come out of Scotland musically. Submissions of songs are invited and 10 are selected as winners . The songs can be of any genre, not just traditional. I submitted a Gaelic song I wrote last year and forgot all about it till I got the email a few weeks ago. It's a hugely prestigious honor to win a place in the Burnsong House- we get taken away to a big house in the Dumfries countryside for a week to work and collaborate together, making new styles of music. I'm the only Gaelic writer to win a place, in fact I'm the first Gaelic writer to win a place! We finish with a gig at the Scottish Parliament on St Andrews Day which is phenomenal! It's a hugely exciting project and one which I'm very much looking forward to indeed, although I'm a bit apprehensive too!

Helen
Are there any stories or any advice you wish to share with the readers?

Fiona
Just to enjoy your music and use it to make new friends. I've been very lucky with the people I've met though my music and been to some great places but I hope to expand on this even further over the next couple of years. Also Id like to encourage folk to follow me on Twitter (Twitter name Gaelicsinger)- I started doing 5/6 daily Gaelic Tweets to help folk learn a bit of Gaelic. It's really taken off now and I've got almost 750 followers with me every day for Gaelic lessons! Including Donald Trumps right hand man, George Sorial! I compile the Tweets into weekly podcasts and place them on my website for everyone to download at leisure. Oh yes and I'm NOT Fiona Gress Mackenzie, a singer/songwriter from Lewis!

Helen
Do you have any favorite hobbies?

Fiona
Apart from Twitter, I love to take my two Border Collies out for walks in the woods beside the house. I take the big lad to dog agility classes every week which is great exercise for us both! Im very lucky really that music is my hobby too so I don't really regard work as work!