mary macmaster

'emotion-bearer of the Scottish tradition'

Mary Macmaster is considered one of the most innovative players of the metal-strung harp in the world today. As a self-taught mistress of the bright golden tones of this instrument, and as a fine singer of Gaelic and Scottish songs, she has contributed to some of the best traditional music to come out of Britain this decade.

'inimitable technique on wire-strung and electroharp'

Mary began her career as half of the harp duo, Sileas, with Patsy Seddon, whom she met while studying Scottish History and Gaelic at the University of Edinburgh. With Patsy, she went on to become a founder member of the highly popular four-piece band,The Poozies, in which she also plays the fantastic Camac electro-harp.

'raw, velvet-toned vocals'

She has worked alongside legendary musicians like Dick Gaughan in the band Clan Alba, with The Scottish Chamber Orchestra on Phil Cunningham's Highlands and Islands Suite; with Jo Freya and Kathryn Locke in a performance of contemporary music commissioned for the Byron Festival in Nottinghamshire, with Mike Travis' Uncharted Territory, a jazz/folk fusion project, and following that same theme, in 1999 she took part in the great Geordie event, Bigfest.