Mary Ann Kennedy
Encyclopedia
Mary Ann Kennedy born 1967 or 1968, is a Scottish
musician, singer, composer, radio and television presenter, and music producer.
in a Gaelic-speaking household. Her father was from the Isle of Tiree, and her mother, Kenna Campbell, one of the Campbell family of Greepe in the Isle of Skye, a family of singers and pipers.
She trained as a classical music
ian from the age of six, starting out on piano and later taking up the harp
. She went on to study as a pianist at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
in Glasgow, and undertook postgraduate research and training at the Royal Northern College of Music
in Manchester, where she was the first harpist in the college's history to be awarded its highest performance diploma. Her thesis was a study of Gaelic puirt a beul
, or "mouth music", a speciality of her mother's family.
From 1993 she lived and worked in Inverness
as a news presenter and musician. Mary Ann Kennedy has received several awards, including a Saltire Society
Award for her Highland Festival commission, Lasair Dhè, and "Radio Presenter of the Year 2007" from the Celtic Media Festival
.
She has produced records by, among others, James Graham, Donnie Murdo MacLeod, Ceolraidh Gaidhlig Ghlaschu, Ailie Robertson, Catriona Watt, Atomic Piseag, Shona Mooney
, Bannal, Cliar, and Jenna Cumming. Mary Ann presents radio shows including Mary Ann Kennedy's Global Gathering on BBC Radio Scotland
, 'World on 3' on BBC Radio 3
, and BBC Radio nan Gaidheal
, and television programmes on BBC Scotland
/BBC Alba
and BBC Four
. She runs the residential recording and creative facility, Watercolour Music Studios, with her husband Nick Turner from their base near Fort William
in the West Highlands.
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, singer, composer, radio and television presenter, and music producer.
Biography
Mary Ann Kennedy was born and brought up in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in a Gaelic-speaking household. Her father was from the Isle of Tiree, and her mother, Kenna Campbell, one of the Campbell family of Greepe in the Isle of Skye, a family of singers and pipers.
She trained as a classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
ian from the age of six, starting out on piano and later taking up the harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
. She went on to study as a pianist at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a conservatoire of music, drama, and dance in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Educational Association, it is the busiest performing arts venue in Scotland...
in Glasgow, and undertook postgraduate research and training at the Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
in Manchester, where she was the first harpist in the college's history to be awarded its highest performance diploma. Her thesis was a study of Gaelic puirt a beul
Puirt à beul
Puirt a beul is a traditional form of song native to Scotland, Ireland, and Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.-Name:The Scottish Gaelic for such a tune is port à beul: "a tune from a mouth—specifically a cheerful tune—which in the plural becomes puirt à beul...
, or "mouth music", a speciality of her mother's family.
From 1993 she lived and worked in Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
as a news presenter and musician. Mary Ann Kennedy has received several awards, including a Saltire Society
Saltire Society
The Saltire Society was established in 1936 to encourage everything that might improve the quality of life in Scotland and restore the country to its proper place as a creative force in European civilisation....
Award for her Highland Festival commission, Lasair Dhè, and "Radio Presenter of the Year 2007" from the Celtic Media Festival
Celtic Media Festival
The Celtic Media Festival, previously known as the Celtic Film and Television Festival, aims to promote the languages and cultures of the Celtic nations on screen and in broadcasting. The festival is an annual three-day celebration of broadcasting and film from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall...
.
She has produced records by, among others, James Graham, Donnie Murdo MacLeod, Ceolraidh Gaidhlig Ghlaschu, Ailie Robertson, Catriona Watt, Atomic Piseag, Shona Mooney
Shona Mooney
- copyvia :The following text was copied from her record label or her own website...
, Bannal, Cliar, and Jenna Cumming. Mary Ann presents radio shows including Mary Ann Kennedy's Global Gathering on BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
, 'World on 3' on BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
, and BBC Radio nan Gaidheal
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal is a British radio station, broadcasting in Scottish Gaelic. It is operated by the BBC as part of its portfolio of television and radio services broadcasting to Scotland....
, and television programmes on BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
/BBC Alba
BBC Alba
BBC Gàidhlig is the department of BBC Scotland that produces Scottish Gaelic language programming. This includes TV programmes for BBC Alba and BBC Two Scotland, the BBC Radio nan Gàidheal radio station and the BBC Alba website.-Television:...
and BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
. She runs the residential recording and creative facility, Watercolour Music Studios, with her husband Nick Turner from their base near Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
in the West Highlands.
External links
- Mary Ann Kennedy, BBC Radio Scotland presenter page
- Traditional Arts Working Group
- BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year
- Watercolour Music