Joy Dunlop is a Gaelic singer & Scottish step-dancer from Argyll and is currently based in Glasgow. Joy’s singing career is the result of a life-long fascination with Scotland’s traditional music and has led her all over the world, starting from early appearances at local cèilidhs as a child. Her performance highlights include major festivals Celtic Connections and Celtic Colours, in addition to touring the UK, Canada and New Zealand.  Through her singing, she aims to showcase Gaelic music and song in a contemporary way that will always remain true to its roots.

Recent high points in Joy’s musical career include a critically acclaimed debut album, “Dùsgadh” (Awakening), being nominated as Gaelic Singer of the Year in 2010 & 2011 and winning the Scots New Music Awards  Roots Recording of the Year and Fatea Tradition Award. She was also the proud winner of the Royal National Mòd Gold Medal in 2010. As well as performing as a soloist, Joy is a popular collaborative artist who has performed with a host of international artistes on both album & live projects. She is currently working on new collaborative material – watch out for new album ‘Fiere’ – Joy Dunlop & Twelfth Day (released March, 2012) and an Argyll based song project later this summer.

A fluent Gaelic speaker with a degree from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Joy is also a passionate and knowledgeable supporter of all things Gaelic. She is a well-known face in Gaelic-medium media, thanks to presenting and panellist appearances on BBC ALBA and Radio nan Gaidheal, and is a regular contributor to Gaelic columns in The Scotsman, among many other publications. Joy’s interest in Gaelic language and culture has led to her involvement with a diverse range of organisations and projects, including Glasgow University’s Adult Education Programme, Fèis Mhàbu (Nova Scotia) and NYCoS. She is also a fully trained Ùlpan tutor and a highly experienced Gaelic language, singing and dance tutor with Fèisean nan Gàidheal. As a result, Joy is increasingly in demand as a teacher, speaker, translator and adjudicator and is always happy to consider new opportunities.

Equally at home in chamber music, song, and solo recitals, Andrew Dunlop is an exceptionally versatile musician who has performed across the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Switzerland and New Zealand. He recently received his Doctorate from the Eastman School of Music in New York where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar under the guidance of Professor Barry Snyder. Previously, Andrew studied at the RNCM with Carole Presland, Alexander Melnikov and Mark Ray where he graduated with the Masters of Music in Performance with Distinction and the Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours, in addition to the Alfred Clay Scholarship and the Hilda Anderson Dean Award for the highest recital and academic marks. During his student career he was awarded scholarships from numerous organisations including Fulbright, Eastman, RNCM, Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Craxton Memorial Trust, Musicians’ Benevolent Fund, Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarship Trust and the Doris Strake Prize from the Worshipful Company of Musicians. He was also a prize-winner in the RNCM Concerto, Ravel, Recital and Weill Prize for Chamber Music. Last year Andrew returned to the RNCM, where he served as the John Wilson Junior Fellow in Collaborative Piano at the Royal Northern College of Music.

Andrew works regularly as a staff pianist for Lake District Summer Music, the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain and the Geneva International Summer Festival and Academy of Music. He is also excited to have more recently been named a Samling Scholar (2013/14). This year, Andrew set up and founded ‘Lorn Live’ Chamber Music Festival in Oban, Argyll, a festival dedicated to showcasing Chamber Music masterpieces in a most beautiful setting. A keen pedagogue, his paper investigating practice methods and musical achievement was presented at the 2009 International Research in Music Education Conference, at Exeter University. He currently teaches for Yorkshire Young Musicians and at Cheadle Hulme School.

Andrew also enjoys working with many traditional Scottish Musicians. In October he reached the finals of BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year, which will take place in the Glasgow Concert Hall in February 2013. He has represented Scotland twice at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland where he won First Prize in the New Song and International New Song Competition and Second Prize in the International Harp Competition. More recently, Andrew can be found on the other side of the table, serving as an adjudicator for the both the Royal National Mòd in Scotland and Canada. Frequently working with his sister, Gaelic Singer Joy Dunlop, Andrew can be heard on both her albums Dùsgadh and Faileasan and looks forward to touring with her once again in early 2013.

Born in 1985 in the Scottish west highland town of Oban, Andrew grew up in the nearby village of Connel, gaining his formative education at Achaleven Primary School and Oban High School respectively.

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