Ailie Robertson Trio's Irish Dates

Ailie's performances in Ireland mark the latest steps in the 25-year-old's career, which was launched in 2006 after she graduated with a 1st class MA in Irish Traditional Music Perfromance from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance in Limerick. Her accomplishment there was such that leading Irish flautist Niall Keegan said: "Ailie's synthesis of Irish, Scottish and contemporary harping technique into an individual style represents the realisation of otherwise unimagined possibilities for the Celtic harp."Since then, she has established herself as a teacher, composer and arranger — alongside a string of gigs around the world - this year has seen her perform in Scotland, England, Wales, Germany, France, Spain, USA and Canada!

And all of it stems from her love of the harp, which she first heard as a child in her native Scotland. Transfixed by its beautiful sound, she immersed herself in the traditions of Scots and Irish music — the jigs, reels, hornpipes and airs — which form the centre of her repertoire today. "I was born and brought up in Scotland, so there's that heritage to draw on, but I did my training in Ireland, which influenced me in a big way," she said. "It is such a beautiful sound, and people are always amazed when they see our performances at how versatile the harp can be. They always come up and say "I never knew the harp could do that!". "I'm delighted to be returning to Ireland for this tour - I really enjoyed studying in Limerick, and have a huge love for the music and people of Ireland."

"Ailie pushes the boundaries of harp technique in exciting but always intensely musical ways. The beauty, the poise, the pauses and the lyricism took my breath away. Robertson earns herself a place among the cream of Scottish musicians" - Taplas

BIOG:

Ailie Robertson: Clarsach

Ailie Robertson is a musician in the broadest sense: composer, arranger, teacher, improviser and 'harp virtuoso'. Although just 24, she has some of the most impressive credentials in the Scottish harp world. She holds a 1st class MA in performance from the IWAMD in Limerick, is a 5-time National Mod Gold Medalist, and was also a BBC Radio Scotland Young Musician of

the Year 2008 finalist, 1st prizewinner at the inaugural London Harp Competition, and best overall musician at the Edinburgh Competition Festival. She has represented Scotland at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland, was awarded an ESU scholarship in recognition of her 'virtuosic clarsach playing', and was a winner of the New Roots award. She works as a soloist for Yehudi Menuhin's Live Music Now! program, and has given recitals at events all over Scotland, including performing for HRH the Queen. When not performing, Ailie is in great demand as a tutor and gives lessons and masterclasses all over Scotland and beyond.

'Inspired genius', 'Innovative, assured, and beautiful', 'exquisite', 'a sure contender for new-comer of the year', 'irrepressible joie-de-vivre', 'a player of Ailie's class has the ability to tear your heart out".

It can't be often that a Cambridge University graduate with a lst-class honours degree in Genetics decides to give it all up to pursue to her dreams of being a traditional musician,

but that's exactly what harpist Ailie Robertson did three years ago. With a scholarship from the ESU in recognition of her 'virtuosic harp playing,' she moved to Limerick and took the Irish Music Performance course at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, graduating with a first class MA in 2006. Her accomplishment there was such that leading Irish flautist Niall Keegan said: "Ailie's synthesis of Irish, Scottish and contemporary harping technique into an individual style represents the realisation of otherwise unimagined possibilities for the Celtic harp."

Ailie grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, and began playing the clarsach when she was eleven years old. Since then Ailie has been going from strength to strength as a professional musician and adding to some of the most impressive credentials in the Scottish harp world. A four-time National Mod Gold Medalist and a BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2008 finalist, Ailie also won first prize at the inaugural London Harp Competition, was judged best overall musician at the Edinburgh Competition Festival and won the St Albans New Roots award. She has represented Commun na Clarsach for Scotland at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland and played at two World Harp Congresses.

With her debut solo CD, First Things First, Robertson puts the harp within a line-up of guitar, bass, percussion and piano, showing that the harp can really stand out on its own as a solo instrument within a band setting. There are jigs, reels and polkas to get the feet tapping and prove that the harp can be just as fast and driving as a fiddle, while her slow airs have been described as 'heart-achingly beautiful'. The album was recorded at Watercolour Music in Ardgour, with the help of producer Mary-Ann Kennedy and musicians Paul Jennings on percussion, Duncan Lyall on bass, Ewan Robertson on guitar and James Ross on piano.

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You can find out more about Ailie at www.ailierobertson.com or www.myspace.com/ailierobertson

BBC Radio Scotland Young Trad Final Clips

You can find audio and video clips from Sunday nights young trad final here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/music/celticconnections/features/young_trad.shtml

Thanks to the BBC for their wonderful filming and recording!

'Her synthesis of Irish, Scottish and contemporary harping technique into an individual style represents the realisation of otherwise unimagined possibilities for the Celtic harp".

Niall Keegan

'Quite simply, this girl is a star' — Norman Mitchell, Head of Music GWC

'Your harp playing takes my breath away and makes me weepy! That's a good thing! I honestly don't think I've ever heard anything so beautiful in all my years' - fan in Florida, USA

'An act worthy of particular mention was Ailie Robertson, who played the harp so beautifully' — The Unicorn Folk Magazine

'Wonderful Stuff!' — John Kirkpatrick, Bellowhead

'Very sophisticated and accomplished