Gillian Maitland
Encyclopedia
Gillian Maitland is a notable disabled Scottish
marimba
soloist, percussionist and composer
, famous for her 6 mallet marimba technique. In 2010 Maitland was involved in 'Callum and Gillian's Great Big Walk', which was a highly publicised charity event for Capability Scotland. The 'Great Big Walk' consisted of Callum and Gillian walking from John o' Groats to Gretna whilst performing 7 world premiers by 7 world renowned composers in 7 venues throughout their journey including at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and all whilst giving live performances and interviews for radio, television and newspaper.
and Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, as well as winning many music competitions and awards for her exceptional abilities on the marimba.
Throughout Maitland's education, she has racked up some single and long term lessons with some of the worlds most renowned percussionists. These include Dame Evelyn Glennie
, Ney Rosauro
, Kai Stensgaard, Joseph Gramley
, Janis Potter, Nick Petrella as well as members of the percussion section of the New York Philharmonic.
In 2005, after performing marimba to the G8 Wifes at Glamis Castle
and winning the award of Angus Youth Ambassador, Maitland won an exceptional £80,000 grant from the Donald Dewar Arts Awards to study with the world renowned Ney Rosauro
at the University of Miami
Frost School of music. In September 2007, in her third year of studies, she was involved in a road traffic accident resulting in her left leg becoming permanently paralysed below the knee. Maitland had to return to her native Scotland to learn to walk again, with the use of an ankle foot orthotic brace. Unfortunately, due to the length of her recovery, Maitland was not able to finish her degree.
Throughout her professional career, Maitland has racked up a number of solo and duo performances throughout UK, Ireland and Europe, as well as giving master-classes at schools and universities. Maitland has given many interviews and live performances on radio, including the hugely popular BBC Radio Scotland Classics Unwrapped where she gave the first on air performance of Eddie McGuire's duo for marimba and guitar with fellow musician Callum Dewar.
One of Maitland's most talked about and fascinating abilities is her technique of using 6 mallets/beaters (3 in each hand) in her performances. Few percussionists in the world have this ability, but it seems to be one of Maitland's specialties. This was taken into account when famous composer Eddie McGuire wrote for the Maitland Dewar Duo, and was discussed in an interview before an on air performance.
As well as performing, Maitland is also a composer of percussion music published by Southern Percussion.
In 2010, Maitland was one of the very few to be accepted to the elite Royal College of Music for post graduate studies in Marimba
, however due to lack of funding, Maitland was not able to attend this course as discussed on an interview on BBC Radio Scotland's Classics Unwrapped at the Royal Highland Show in 2010.
The seven composers were Eddie McGuire
, Gordon McPherson
, David Horne
, Rory Boyle, Lyell Cresswell
, Kai Stensgaard and Fred DeSena.
The event gained huge publicity in Scotland as well as further afield helping to promote the charity. The duo were interviewed and performed on STV news, BBC Radio Scotland show Classics Unwrapped and numerous other radio stations, as well a large amount of articles being written about their venture from small scale newspapers all the way to likes of The Herald, The Scotsman and some notable disability magazines like Able Magazine.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
soloist, percussionist and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, famous for her 6 mallet marimba technique. In 2010 Maitland was involved in 'Callum and Gillian's Great Big Walk', which was a highly publicised charity event for Capability Scotland. The 'Great Big Walk' consisted of Callum and Gillian walking from John o' Groats to Gretna whilst performing 7 world premiers by 7 world renowned composers in 7 venues throughout their journey including at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and all whilst giving live performances and interviews for radio, television and newspaper.
Early life
Maitland's musical life began when she started drum kit lessons at the age of 12. She quickly progressed, adding piano and saxophone to the mix. When she was 16, she was accepted to the prestigious St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh as their first ever percussionist where the school build a soundproofed percussion room especially. Here she had her first opportunity to study the marimba, where she advanced very quickly. In her time at St Mary's Music School, Maitland attended elite courses including Juilliard Summer Percussion Seminar, National Youth Orchestra of ScotlandNational Youth Orchestra of Scotland
The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland has provided music education and performance experience for young musicians throughout Scotland since its formation in 1979....
and Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, as well as winning many music competitions and awards for her exceptional abilities on the marimba.
Throughout Maitland's education, she has racked up some single and long term lessons with some of the worlds most renowned percussionists. These include Dame Evelyn Glennie
Evelyn Glennie
Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, DBE is a Scottish virtuoso percussionist. She was the first full-time solo percussionist in 20th-century western society.-Early life:Glennie was born and raised in Aberdeenshire...
, Ney Rosauro
Ney Rosauro
Ney Rosauro is a Brazilian composer and percussionist.His compositions include solos for marimba, vibraphone and multi-percussion setups, as well as music for percussion ensembles and orchestras...
, Kai Stensgaard, Joseph Gramley
Joseph Gramley
Joseph Gramley is an American multi-percussionist, teacher and composer, and a founding member of the Silk Road Ensemble. As a solo performer he each year commissions and premieres new works from such emerging composers as Kojiro Umezaki and Justin Messina...
, Janis Potter, Nick Petrella as well as members of the percussion section of the New York Philharmonic.
In 2005, after performing marimba to the G8 Wifes at Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public....
and winning the award of Angus Youth Ambassador, Maitland won an exceptional £80,000 grant from the Donald Dewar Arts Awards to study with the world renowned Ney Rosauro
Ney Rosauro
Ney Rosauro is a Brazilian composer and percussionist.His compositions include solos for marimba, vibraphone and multi-percussion setups, as well as music for percussion ensembles and orchestras...
at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
Frost School of music. In September 2007, in her third year of studies, she was involved in a road traffic accident resulting in her left leg becoming permanently paralysed below the knee. Maitland had to return to her native Scotland to learn to walk again, with the use of an ankle foot orthotic brace. Unfortunately, due to the length of her recovery, Maitland was not able to finish her degree.
Career
Following her long recovery process, Maitland gained the funding to purchase a five octave marimba in 2009, when she also became an official Encore Mallets Endorser. Maitland then went on to perform for Prince Charles at the 20th anniversary of Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust.Throughout her professional career, Maitland has racked up a number of solo and duo performances throughout UK, Ireland and Europe, as well as giving master-classes at schools and universities. Maitland has given many interviews and live performances on radio, including the hugely popular BBC Radio Scotland Classics Unwrapped where she gave the first on air performance of Eddie McGuire's duo for marimba and guitar with fellow musician Callum Dewar.
One of Maitland's most talked about and fascinating abilities is her technique of using 6 mallets/beaters (3 in each hand) in her performances. Few percussionists in the world have this ability, but it seems to be one of Maitland's specialties. This was taken into account when famous composer Eddie McGuire wrote for the Maitland Dewar Duo, and was discussed in an interview before an on air performance.
As well as performing, Maitland is also a composer of percussion music published by Southern Percussion.
In 2010, Maitland was one of the very few to be accepted to the elite Royal College of Music for post graduate studies in Marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, however due to lack of funding, Maitland was not able to attend this course as discussed on an interview on BBC Radio Scotland's Classics Unwrapped at the Royal Highland Show in 2010.
Charity work
Since becoming disabled, Maitland seems to have dedicated a lot of her time to raise money for charity, most notably for Capability Scotland. In the space of a year she abseiled Titan Crane in Glasgow, as well as her highly publicised duo event 'Callum and Gillian's Great Big Walk' where Gillian and her team mate Callum attempted to walk from John o' Groats to Gretna whilst giving 7 world premiers by 7 world renowned composers in 7 venues, one of which was at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As well as raising awareness and money for Capability Scotland, the pair also managed to get a motion put forward to the Scottish Parliament on disability awareness.The seven composers were Eddie McGuire
Edward McGuire (composer)
Edward McGuire is a Scottish composer.He studied composition with James Iliff at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1966 to 1970 and then with Ingvar Lidholm in Stockholm in 1971....
, Gordon McPherson
Gordon McPherson
Gordon McPherson is a Scottish composer. He studied at the University of York, England, returning there for his doctorate, continuing with post-doctoral research at the Royal Northern College of Music....
, David Horne
David Horne (composer)
David Horne is a Scottish composer, pianist, and teacher.A resident composer with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic for four years, he has been awarded several commissions...
, Rory Boyle, Lyell Cresswell
Lyell Cresswell
Lyell Cresswell is a composer of contemporary classical music. He studied in Wellington, Toronto, Aberdeen and Utrecht. He moved to Scotland in the 1970s and has lived and worked in Edinburgh since 1985...
, Kai Stensgaard and Fred DeSena.
The event gained huge publicity in Scotland as well as further afield helping to promote the charity. The duo were interviewed and performed on STV news, BBC Radio Scotland show Classics Unwrapped and numerous other radio stations, as well a large amount of articles being written about their venture from small scale newspapers all the way to likes of The Herald, The Scotsman and some notable disability magazines like Able Magazine.