Catriona McKay is from Dundee, Scotland. She is a fearless explorer of the Scottish harp who is widely recognised for her dynamic musicianship and innovative rhythm harp style.
Catriona has a hugely rewarding music partnership of more than 20 years with Shetland fiddler and composer Chris Stout. The duo has performed worldwide communicating their bold and adventurous dialogue of their native Scottish music. They have several duo recordings, have scored many of their works for larger ensembles including the Scottish Ensemble and Quatuor Ebene and have orchestrated several of their compositions. In 2012 they premiered ‘Seavaigers’ the first ever concerto for Scottish harp and fiddle, written especially for them by composer Sally Beamish.
Catriona has has 4 solo harp albums, has created 3 albums of improvised music with composer and sound artist Alistair MacDonald, 2 albums with Swedish nyckelharper Olov Johansson, recorded as a guest on many tracks and 3 albums with Shetland band Fiddlers' Bid.
Catriona’s solo music highlights her signature harmonic and rhythm harp style. Her HARPONIUM series combines both the strength and delicacy of her harp with bold, warm, characterful harmonium. Love in Secret (2020) is another album recorded and produced by Catriona but this time is completly solo harp.
Catriona’s composition Swan LK243, written for a Shetland herring fishing boat that was built in 1900 has gone on to be played and recorded by musicians worldwide.
She has many awards including Scots Trad Music Awards Instrumentalist of the Year 2007 & 2014 and BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Best Duo 2018 with Chris Stout.
Catriona has featured on many recordings, composes, arranges and orchestrates music for her various projects.
AWARDS (solo)
Catriona McKay BAHons 1st class, PGDip, PPRNCM was awarded a Caird Trust scholarship and an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music scholarship to attend Royal Northern College of Music for postgraduate studies with Welsh harpist Eira Lynn Jones. She joined Yehudi Menuhin’s Live Music Now! scheme in 1999, was a finalist for the BBC Radio 3 ‘Young Classical Musician’ 1999 and a NFMS (National Federation of Music Societies) Young Concert Artist for 2000/01.
Catriona won the “Jakez Francois International Celtic Harp Competition 2004” held in Nantes, France and represented Scotland with performances at at the World Harp Congress 2005 & 2011 and the European Harp Symposium in 2007, 2009.
Catriona was awarded the Scots Trad Music Awards ‘Instrumentalist of the Year 2007 and 2014'.
Catriona’s harp cd ‘STARFISH” was nominated as album of the year for the Scots Trad Music Awards 2008.
Catriona was a finalist of the Glenfiddich ‘Spirit of Scotland’ music category awards 2010, recognising and celebrating the achievements of Scottish individuals.
Catriona McKay & Chris Stout were awarded BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Best Duo 2018
Catriona McKay C.V.
Winner of O’Carolan International Harp Festival (Keadue, Co. Roscommon) 1994.
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Musician semi-finalist 1994.
1st Class Honours BA Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama / Glasgow University 1998.
Caird Trust scholarship & Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music scholarship 1998-2000.
Royal Northern College of Music PGDip RNCM, and PPRNCM (2000)
Yehudi Menuhin’s Live Music Now! artist 1999-2002
BBC Radio 3 ‘Young Classical Musician’ finalist 1999
NFMS (National Federation of Music Societies) Young Concert Artist for 2000/01
Premier Prix 1er Concours International de Harpe Celtique Jakez Francois 2004, France
Duo music partnership with Shetland fiddler Chris Stout since 1995, CDs ‘Laebrack’ (Greentrax, 2005) ‘White Nights’ (McKay Stout Music, 2010), ‘Begley, McKay, Stout (2014), ‘Seavaigers’ concerto for Scottish Harp & fiddle with Scottish Ensemble by composer Sally Beamish (2014), Bare Knuckle (2018) Highly acclaimed performances worldwide.
Member of Shetland band Fiddlers’ Bid since 1998, 4 CD recordings, forthcoming DVD. “Best Contemporary Live Music Presentation” nomination at Australian Entertainment Industry Association’s Helpmann Awards (2002) winner ‘Best Live Act 2003’ and winner ‘Album of the Year 2009’ at the Scots Trad. Music Awards.
Catriona McKay Solo cd ‘Starfish’ (2007) nominated ‘Album of the Year’ 2008 Scots Trad. Music Awards.
Winner ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ 2007 Scots Trad. Music Awards.
Catriona McKay finalist ‘Spirit of Scotland’ – Music Category 2010.
Winner ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ 2014 Scots Trad. Music Awards.
Catriona McKay & Chris Stout BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Best Duo 2018
Chris Stout & Catriona McKay
“extremely powerful” (Living Tradition)
“virtuosic and physically engaging...” ***** Glasgow Herald
“glittering harp work...exceptional bow control” The STRAD
“Unimpeachable” Irish Times