People's Park - Music

Aidan O'Rourke Born 1975 Is A Scottish Contemporary Folk Music Fiddle Player And Composer From The Isle Of Seil On The West Coast Of Scotland. He Was Named The 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Musician Of The Year And The Scots Trad Music Awards 2011 Composer Of The Year. In Addition To His Solo Career O'Rourke Also Plays In The Award-Winning Folk Trio Lau Alongside Kris Drever And Martin Green. He Was One Of 20 Musicians Commissioned For New Music 20x12 By PRS For Music Foundation To Celebrate The 2012 Summer Olympic Games. O'Rourke Has Worked With Eddi Reader Andy Sheppard Alyth Roddy Woomble And Appears On More Than Eighty Recordings. Previously He Was A Member Of Blazin' Fiddles The Unusual Suspects And Tabache. O'Rourke Has Toured Extensively In Europe And North America From The Age Of 15 And Has Made His Name As One Of Scotland’s Most Expressive And Dynamic Musicians. At 19 O'Rourke Formed Tabache With Claire Mann And Went On To Record The Internationally Acclaimed Album ‘Waves Of Rush’. O'Rourke Has Performed With The Hugely Successful BLAZIN' FIDDLES Live Act Of The Year 2004 And The Exciting Trio Called LAU With KRIS DREVER And MARTIN GREEN. O'Rourke Is Much Sought After As A Session Musician Having Performed On Over 60 Albums Ranging From Runrig To Michael McGoldrick And Karen Mathieson And As A Composer With His Tunes Being Performed And Recorded By Flook And Wolfstone Amongst Many Others. He Was Nominated As ‘Instrumentalist Of The Year’ At The Scots Traditional Music Awards And Toured With Blazin’ Fiddles Who Appeared At The Royal Albert Hall As Part Of The Proms And Also Headlined Cambridge Folk Festival. Commissions Have Included A Piece Entitled ‘MANTRA ALBA’ Which Welcomed The Dalai Lama To Scotland In And FORWARD! A Work Inspired By The Life And Times Of Thomas Johnston Of Kirkintiloch. O'Rourke Has Been Musician In Residence At The Tolbooth In Stirling. ‘SIRIUS’ Is Aidan’s First ‘solo’ Album And Has Evolved From A Commission By Celtic Connections Festival In 2003. This Is A Vast Piece Of Work Which Incorporates A Wide Variety Of Musical Styles From Ultra-Traditional Folk To Jazz Roots And Groove All Of Which Have Had An Influence On Aidan’s Musical Style And Expression. He Has Written For A Thirteen-Piece Band Incorporates Some Of Europe's Top Folk And Jazz Musicians Including Brian Finnegan Charlie McKerron Luke Daniels Harald Haugaard Colin Steele And Phil Bancroft. The Live Performances Of This Piece Received Much Critical Acclaim And In April 2004 The Carl Nielsen Academy Of Music Odense Denmark Chose Perform ‘Sirius’ With Their Final Year Students As An Example Of How Different Musical Genres Can Successfully Work Together. read less