Internationally acclaimed musicians to nurture next generation at RCS
A percussion heavyweight, a multi-award-winning guitarist and a leading figure in traditional music – an influential and internationally acclaimed trio of musicians will inspire a new generation at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS).
Colin Currie, Sean Shibe and Jennifer Wrigley have been appointed Associate Artists at Scotland’s national conservatoire, where they’ll become a central part of its creative community – collaborating with students and sharing their work with audiences.
They join an illustrious list of visiting artists and industry experts who work with the professionals-in-training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, one of the world’s top five destinations to study the performing arts*.
Colin Currie
© Linda Nylind
Solo and chamber percussionist, Artist in Association at London’s Southbank Centre and Co-Artistic Curator of Grafenegg Music Academy, who studied at the RCS Junior Conservatoire.
Championing new music at the highest level, Colin is hailed as being “at the summit of percussion performance today” (Gramophone). Colin is the soloist of choice for many of today’s foremost composers and conductors and he performs with the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and London Philharmonic.
Colin Currie said: “I’m delighted to embark on a new association with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, my first position with what we always referred to as ‘Seniors’ when I was a Junior student there in the 1990s!
“I look forward to getting to know the percussion department closely but also working with other personnel such as the composers, and instrumentalists from many walks of life, as we construct our new and adventurous programmes together. Expect intriguing combinations of music, world premieres and fresh repertoire, new to Scotland and RCS.”
Sean Shibe
© Kaupo Kikkas
The RCS guitar graduate, who studied under Professors Allan Neave and Paolo Pegoraro, is one of the most versatile guitarists of his generation. He was the first guitarist ever to be selected for BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Artists scheme, to be awarded a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship and, in 2018, to receive the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Young Artists. Accolades for his recordings include two Gramophone Awards and an Opus Klassik. He is also the 2022 recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award. Recent collaborators include Daniel Kidane, David Fennessy, Shiva Feshareki, David Lang, Julia Wolfe and Marina Abramovic. New commissions include a solo work by Thomas Ades, Helen Grime and a new collaboration with Cassandra Miller and Dunedin Consort.
Sean Shibe said: “I’m delighted to become Associate Artist at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, an institution that has played such a strong role in my memories and musical upbringing, and I look forward to spending more time with the next generation of musicians.”
Jennifer Wrigley
© Amanda Jackson/Alan Guthrie
Internationally respected fiddle player and composer, who is an ambassador for traditional Orkney fiddle music. Jennifer is one of eight musicians, chosen from over 200, to take part in Sound and Music’s New Voices artist development programme that supports composers at pivotal stages of their careers. Jennifer has written and arranged over 200 tunes, which have been recorded and performed by artists and orchestras including the Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Trondheim Soloists.
Jennifer Wrigley said: “I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to work alongside some of the very best young traditional musicians in the country at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. It is an enormous privilege to be playing even a tiny part in the cultivation of these amazing players. I’m not sure who will get the most out of the experience – me or them! For me, traditional music is all about individual style, personality, rhythms, and mannerisms. I’m looking forward to working in partnership with the students to expand our horizons and develop our rhythmic and musical senses.”
Sean Shibe returns to RCS for Big Guitar Weekend, which runs from November 3-6. Sean will take to the stage on Saturday, November 5, with a programme that includes Poulenc’s Sarabande and Habanera by Thomas Adės. Tickets are available at the RCS box office.
The RCS Associate Artist programme includes conductor Martyn Brabbins, composer Errollyn Wallen CBE, violinist Daniel Pioro, multi-instrumentalist Mike Vass, mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill and trumpeter Mike Lovatt.
Dr Gordon Munro, Director of Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “We’ve established an inspirational community of Associate Artists here at RCS, which makes for a special learning environment.
“Colin Currie, Sean Shibe and Jennifer Wrigley are three outstanding, and original, musicians who bring a wealth of experience and such passion for performance. It’s wonderful to welcome them to the RCS community and we’re grateful for their generosity in sharing their artistry and insight with our students.”