Donald Shaw (musician)
Encyclopedia
Donald Shaw is a Scottish
musician, composer, producer, and one of the founding members of the group Capercaillie
. His sister is fiddle
r Eilidh Shaw
.
Brought up in Taynuilt
, Argyll
, a part of the world steeped in Gaelic song and traditional music, Donald Shaw was involved in all styles of music from an early age. Originally taught the accordion by his father, at 16 he won the All-Britain accordion championship performing Paganiniana
, Hans Brehme's renowned adaptation of Paganini's Theme and Variations. A year later, whilst still at Oban High School, returning to his love of roots music
, he co-founded Capercaillie, with whom he still writes, produces and performs.
Throughout his musical life Donald has been involved in composing for film and TV, most recently composing the music for the Bafta nominated film, American Cousins, directed by Don Coutts (starring Shirley Henderson and Dan Hidaya). The film won numerous awards including best film at Milan film festival. He also scored One Last Chance, a feature film written and directed by Stewart Svaasand for Dougray Scott
's Production company Hero Films. For the soundtrack of One Last Chance, Donald recorded with Louisiana musician Dirk Powell (O Brother, Where Art Thou?
) to create a score influenced by early American folk music.
In 2002 he was rewarded with two Royal Television Society
awards for Best Soundtrack and Best Theme in UK television. The RTS awards were for the acclaimed drama Crowdie and Cream (co-composed with Charlie McKerron) and involved bringing over 20 musicians together from around the world, together with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
. His expansive 70 minute score for the feature film Transition (released in 2000) was also BAFTA nominated for best soundtrack.
As well as film music, he has produced and recorded on more than 50 albums for artists in all areas of music, and collaborated with high profile artists as diverse as Nanci Griffith
, Peter Gabriel
, Ornette Coleman
, Dulce Pontes
, Dan ar Braz, Bonnie Raitt
and James Grant. He was musical director for the BAFTA winning BBC arts show 'Tacsi', in which he produced collaborations with more than 200 of the finest musicians working in Scotland as diverse as jazz maestro Tommy Smith
, piping guru Martyn Bennett
and the BT Ensemble. It was with this vast experience that he launched the independent label Vertical Records in 2000, which has released many critically acclaimed albums by artists.
In January 2004 he composed "Harvest", a commission for the opening night of thee Celtic Connections
festival involving 100 musicians from all Celtic regions of Europe. Also involved where some of the finest young traditional musicians from throughout Scotland from the ages of 13 to 18. "Harvest" was also performed at the 2006 Celtic Connections Festival.
In 2006, Shaw was appointed Artistic Director of Celtic Connections 2007. He won the Scots Trad Music
Composer of the Year award in December 2006.
He is married to fellow Capercaillie member Karen Matheson. They have a son called Hector.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
musician, composer, producer, and one of the founding members of the group Capercaillie
Capercaillie (band)
Capercaillie is a Scottish folk band, founded in the 1980s by Donald Shaw and fronted by Karen Matheson. They have seen four of their albums placed in the UK Albums Chart, and continue to perform and record to the present day.-History:...
. His sister is fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
r Eilidh Shaw
Eilidh Shaw
Eilidh Shaw is a Scottish fiddle player and singer. She has performed with The Poozies, Harem Scarem and recorded a solo album, Heepirumbo, in 1997. Her brother Donald Shaw was a founding member of Capercaillie. She and The Poozies performed at 2008's Fèis an Eilein in the Isle of Skye.-References:...
.
Brought up in Taynuilt
Taynuilt
Taynuilt is a large village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland located at the western entrance to the narrow Pass of Brander.-Location:The village is situated on the River Nant about a kilometre before the river flows into Loch Etive at Airds Bay. This is just to the west of a narrowing of the loch down...
, Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
, a part of the world steeped in Gaelic song and traditional music, Donald Shaw was involved in all styles of music from an early age. Originally taught the accordion by his father, at 16 he won the All-Britain accordion championship performing Paganiniana
Paganiniana
Paganiniana can refer to:* Paganiniana , an orchestral work by Alfredo Casella based on themes of Niccolò Paganini.* Paganiniana, a piece for violin consisting of variations by Nathan Milstein on themes of Paganini.-Other -ana works:...
, Hans Brehme's renowned adaptation of Paganini's Theme and Variations. A year later, whilst still at Oban High School, returning to his love of roots music
Traditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
, he co-founded Capercaillie, with whom he still writes, produces and performs.
Throughout his musical life Donald has been involved in composing for film and TV, most recently composing the music for the Bafta nominated film, American Cousins, directed by Don Coutts (starring Shirley Henderson and Dan Hidaya). The film won numerous awards including best film at Milan film festival. He also scored One Last Chance, a feature film written and directed by Stewart Svaasand for Dougray Scott
Dougray Scott
-Early life:The son of Elma, a nurse, and Alan Scott, an actor and salesperson, Stephen Dougray Scott was born in Glenrothes, Fife and attended Auchmuty High School...
's Production company Hero Films. For the soundtrack of One Last Chance, Donald recorded with Louisiana musician Dirk Powell (O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 comedy film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning. Set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the Great Depression, the film's story is a modern satire loosely...
) to create a score influenced by early American folk music.
In 2002 he was rewarded with two Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
awards for Best Soundtrack and Best Theme in UK television. The RTS awards were for the acclaimed drama Crowdie and Cream (co-composed with Charlie McKerron) and involved bringing over 20 musicians together from around the world, together with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is a broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow, Scotland. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation , it is the oldest full-time professional orchestra in Scotland...
. His expansive 70 minute score for the feature film Transition (released in 2000) was also BAFTA nominated for best soundtrack.
As well as film music, he has produced and recorded on more than 50 albums for artists in all areas of music, and collaborated with high profile artists as diverse as Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s....
, Dulce Pontes
Dulce Pontes
Dulce José Silva Pontes is a Portuguese songwriter and singer who performs in many musical styles, including pop, folk and classical music. She is usually defined as a world music artist...
, Dan ar Braz, Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
and James Grant. He was musical director for the BAFTA winning BBC arts show 'Tacsi', in which he produced collaborations with more than 200 of the finest musicians working in Scotland as diverse as jazz maestro Tommy Smith
Tommy Smith (saxophonist)
Tommy Smith is a jazz saxophonist, composer and educator. The late jazz critic Richard Cook said of him, 'Of the generation which emerged in the mid-80s, he might be the most outstandingly talented'.-Biography:...
, piping guru Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett was a Scottish musician who was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
and the BT Ensemble. It was with this vast experience that he launched the independent label Vertical Records in 2000, which has released many critically acclaimed albums by artists.
In January 2004 he composed "Harvest", a commission for the opening night of thee Celtic Connections
Celtic Connections
The Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of traditional Scottish music and also features international...
festival involving 100 musicians from all Celtic regions of Europe. Also involved where some of the finest young traditional musicians from throughout Scotland from the ages of 13 to 18. "Harvest" was also performed at the 2006 Celtic Connections Festival.
In 2006, Shaw was appointed Artistic Director of Celtic Connections 2007. He won the Scots Trad Music
Scots Trad Music Awards
The Scots Trad Music Awards celebrate Scotland's traditional music in all its forms and create a high profile opportunity to bring the music and music industry into the spotlight of media and public attention.-2010:...
Composer of the Year award in December 2006.
He is married to fellow Capercaillie member Karen Matheson. They have a son called Hector.
Appearances
- Hold Your HorsesHold Your Horses (album)Hold Your Horses is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Ella Edmondson. It was released on 23 February 2009, on the Monsoon label.-Label:...
— Ella EdmondsonElla EdmondsonEleanor Rose "Ella" Edmondson is an English singer-songwriter. Her primary instrument is the guitar though she can also play piano.-Biography:...
(2009) - Mark the Hard EarthMark the Hard EarthMark the Hard Earth is the second solo album by contemporary folk musician Kris Drever, released January 2010 at Celtic Connections. The album was officially released on March 8, 2010.-Track listing:#"Mark the Hard Earth" - 4:45#"This Old Song" - 3:54...
- Kris DreverKris DreverKris Drever is a Scottish contemporary folk musician and songwriter, who came to prominence in 2006 with the release of his debut solo album, Black Water...
(2010)