What a night!  At the Usher hall supporting Joan Armatrading.   She had chosen our song ‘Portobello Sands’ as one of the winning songs to be showcased on her most recent tour.  We had a great chat on the day about songwriting and doing it your own way!

Another treat that day was my friend Chris Wood who was her main support act came back to our flat after the gig for a cuppa tea and a catchup before he needed to pick up the tour bus at 1am heading off to the next gig!  

LISTEN HERE….. Portobello Sands

Freeland Barbour writes: “Mairi is without a doubt one of Scotland’s most all- encompassing musicians. She works and performs in many fields of music and the list is breathtaking”.

Mairi’s most recent work is getting some powerfully positive responses:

“I am writing to thank you for the most wonderful evening I can ever remember which was yesterday in Cullipool Hall”.  Hugh Gray

“Mairi, is a remarkable musician – an artist whose work transfigures consciousness”   Alisdair MacIntosh – Auther of ‘Soil and Soul’

“Mairi’s voice should be listed” MW, Scotland

“I’m immediately attracted to your voice, which not only sounds distinctive, but conveys plenty of heartfelt emotion. The lyric is really quite descriptive, which helps draw the listener into the story you’re telling”.  JD, New Music

“This is such a beautiful song. I’m entranced from the first note to the last. Your voice is to die for. I have a feeling you could sing names and numbers from the phone book and it would sound compelling”

hello@mairicampbell.co.uk

Red Earth/Revival:  Mairi works with David Francis who is the lyricist in their songwriting partnership. They both penned the songs for Mairi’s debut album in 2011 and have been creative partners since 1992.  With two musicals (YMT), five albums, private commissions, Mairi and Dave are considered two of the finest songwriters with a strong  catalogue of material.

Mairi’s work has also attracted a celebrity fan base. In 1999, she sang for President Clinton & Sean Connery at the ‘Lifetime Achievement Awards’. She caught the attention of Sarah Jessica Parker, who placed her version of Auld Lang Syne in her blockbuster movie ‘Sex and The City’ in 2008.

In 2007  Mairi founded her own music camps called the   Lismore Music Retreats,  based on the beautiful Island of Lismore on the West coast of Scotland. She works with adults, accessing and nurturing their artistry through traditional music, free improvisation, movement and song.

To find out more about Mairi’s courses go to: www.lismoremusicretreats.com

To book Mairi email hello@mairicampbell.co.uk or get in touch via facebook.

Mairi Campbell solo - using viola, voice and piano.  Beautifully crafted contemporary songs.  Dave and Mairi’s songwriting is receiving some powerfully positive responses.

“Their songwriting partnership has produced some of the best songs in the traditional idiom in recent years” 

“Mairi is an exceptionally gifted woman, she sings from her soul and touches mine with the deepest tenderness” – Lewis Barfoot,   Authentic Artist Collective.

“Have listened and listened to your album…LOVE the tunes, entranced by the lyrics” – Patti Gardner.

Available for bookings now:  ’Revival and the Red Earth’ – A remarkable and unique show recently written and performed by David Francis and Mairi Campbell-  Sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe 2012.

“Feeling exhilarated today after last night’s marvellous performance here on Luing of Red Earth and Revival! by Mairi Campbell and David Francis. By turns deeply moving, humorous and inspiring this fascinating mix of storytelling, dramatic narrative, music and song about Mairi’s forebears and present day family points the way forward for a traditional and contemporary music that is grounded in the incredible reality of people’s lives and the earth that supports them.”    Norman Bissell

Classes and workshops in fiddle;  voice, harmony singing or stepdancing

Music camps and workshops:   see www.lismoremusicretreats.com

Mairi Campbell’s Ceilidh Band.  This is a trio with fiddle, guitar and bass (and dance caller). Includes the PA. Available for wedding, parties….special events.

Contact hello@mairicampbell.co.uk

Here is a weekend dedicated to finding the rhythm and swing that you want for Scottish step dancing.  This dancing form has been re-kindled in Scotland in recent times from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. We’ll also look at the timings and type of playing that scottish dance band players use for playing for ceilidh and country.

Suitable for mixed ability fiddlers and step dancers

For step dancers, if you’re fluent then you’ll be encouraged to make up routines on the spot, develop your ‘percussive foot drumming’ and find rhythms to go with specific tunes.  Be prepared to learn a tune or two by heart….. by diddling them!
For beginner step dancers I’ll teach some basic steps and we may have another teacher on board to take time with the steppers only.

Bring a tune or an up beat song…and a snack!
For a tune bring a reel, strathspey or jig. 

Maximum 8 people
Cost: £200 ( includes accommodation, all meals and 10 hours tuition)

Nov 2012 response to a Lismore Music Retreat
“Up to then, I had what might be described as a mechanistic approach to playing,  assuming that mere alterations to playing technique would achieve a change in sound.  However, your remarkable blend of simple and effective repetitive exercises with deep philosophical insights into the elemental purpose of folk tunes, has wrought in me a complete re-think about music as a universal language; and consequently to approach playing it by living it”.  RA.

This weekend is about sharing our voices in all their colours, and supporting your voice development within the context of folk/traditional song.  
 
Areas we cover will include: singing together and singing alone;  finding harmonies; learning simple warmup songs;   deepening and settling your breath; noticing your body while singing; improvising;  sharing stories;  managing performance nerves; how to make that song your own.

Mairi skillfully blends and balances individual issues with stimulating groupwork.  This course is suitable for mixed ability adults.
Bring one song and leave with eight!

“I felt very much that the way you ran the workshop gave me great freedom to explore some technical issues around my voice.
Trust and support were built so that space cleared inside me, allowing my heart and spirit to connect to what felt at times like my authentic voice.
No small thing.” MM, Edinburgh, participant 2012

“I found that if I sing-meditate, there is a sureness that comes to my voice, unforced and then there is an authenticity”. MR. East Lothian, participant 2012

“What a great experience! It was lovely to have some time to really chill out, but also learn a huge amount. The atmosphere you created with the group was quite special. It felt very calm, and yet there was so much going on”.  RG Edinburgh


Cost: £200 ( included all meals, accommodation and 10 hours tuition)
Maximum 8 places

An extended, extraordinary weekend filled with making, writing, photography and singing.  Mairi will lead you in song, Sarah Campbell in textiles, Ros Gasson on photography and Jane in word.  

Sing, make, write or do photography … with the added bonus of extending your skills or trying something completely new.
No previous experience required.

The four days work like this:  you can either focus fully on one activity over the four days, or split your day into first choice mornings and other options in the afternoon.  For instance, you may sing every morning for 3 hours and choose something different each afternoon.  Or you can focus on one or two activities for the whole course.

Make your own thick, warm felted slippers, write some nature inspired poetry, learn how to take better photos and sing your heart out! 
We’ll share lunch together and have ceilidh and quilting in the evenings.

Times:
Thursday 9th May, 7pm for a meal together at Carnie Studio until Monday 13th May 2pm.

Cost: £180 ( includes lunch and Thursday supper)
Not included: accommodation, other evening meals and breakfast.
Accommodation costs range from aprox £20 ppp night in a shared rented cottage, to the possibly slightly more expensive B&B’s. There is also an eco-camp site on the island. 
If you want to come we’ll help you find appropriate accommodation.  
For information on Lismore accommodation go to:
www.isleoflismore.com and click on accommodation 

“I went places with word, music and song where I have never gone before and wonder where to next. All of this due to your vision, sensitivity, hospitality and musical integrity, not always an easy path. Thank you”
C Menzies, Gairlochy Nov 2012 

Music is a universal language.  No matter what ‘accent’ you play in, classical, folk, jazz, you will be heard.  This weekend is about connecting through sound and silence.  
Through simple games and activites, this course will find step by step ways for you to explore more of what you can do and connect with others while doing it.

With a clear and trusted facilitator, it’s an exhilarating and rewarding experience that truly deepens and nourishes your relationship with your instrument and each other and….it’s a lot of fun!

COME OUT AND PLAY!

All instruments and voices welcome.
Max 8 places.

Free improvisation has always played an important part in Mairi’s life.  
At the Guildhall when studying viola she was a student of the ‘Music Performance and Communication Skills’  pioneering work with Peter Weigold and Peter Renshaw.
Around 15 years ago Mairi was part of an improvisors ensemble called ‘ Starting Point Zero‘ directed by Benno Plassmann.  They perfomed in Italy and Denmark and also in Scotland.  Most recently she has been exploring the cross form improvisation practice of InterPlay which combines story, sound and movement.
She is also a member of the Authentic Artist collective, which is an outcome of the work of Kath Burlinson and Paul Oertel.

As a solo artist, Mairi currently pioneers the improvisational use of voice and instruments in a context which extends the boundaries of our contemporary culture from traditional roots.  

Cost: £200 ( includes accommodation, meals and 10 hours tuition)
Max 8 places
Open to any instrument and voice.
Fun and friendship guaranteed. 

The toilet-roll technique!!

A weekend of core techniques.   I’ll attend to whatever issues need to be addressed.  So whether it’s better tone, more fluid bow hold, intonation, left hand dexterity, we’ll work on it and you’ll take home a range of excersises to support your playing.
Scales and arpeggios ( they support the patterns that often come up in many traditional tunes),  making up excersises that relate directly to the tunes you bring.   Core techniques on tension and release in the body while playing; easing up the bowing arm; attending to intonation; REALLY listening; left hand work for speed and dexterity; the list goes on… bespoke tuition for each participant plus stimulating groupwork that has you being heard and listening more deeply.

Bring a tune that you can play and we’ll go from there.

Suitable for any level of fiddler.

Sometimes it’s just about putting in the hours, so why not have a little fun while you’re at it!

Cost – £200 ( includes accommodation, all meals and 10 hours tuition)
Maximum 8 particpants
Bring one tune and one snack. 

With Mairi’s skill at blending and balancing individual issues with stimulating groupwork, this course is open to all abilities.
You bring a tune as part of the shared repertoire.  Bring one and leave with eight!

“I felt very much that the way you ran the workshop gave me great freedom to explore some technical issues around my voice.
Trust and support were built so that space cleared inside me, allowing my heart and spirit to connect to what felt at times like my authentic voice.
No small thing.” MG

BRING A TUNE .

Cost: £200 ( includes accommodation, all meals and 10 hours tuition)

Limited to 8 places.

So, with guidance punctuated by bowls of soup, we attend to the needs in the room:  IMPROVE BOWING, LEFT HAND EASE, HOW TO PLAY FASTER, HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR INTONATION, HOW TO ACCOMPANY, WHAT ABOUT ORNAMENTS….. and as well as technique we’ll look at core principles like: deeper listening; following and leading in music;  developing confidence; finding ways to accompany;  grounding your rhythm, playing songs on the fiddle.

With Mairi’s skill at blending and balancing individual issues with stimulating groupwork, this course is open to all abilities.

You bring a song or tune as part of the shared repertoire. 

Cost: £200 ( includes accommodation, all meals and 10 hours tuition)

Limited to 8 places.