Shona Mackay - Composer
About
Shona Mackay is a Glasgow-based interdisciplinary composer.
With a keen interest in pushing the boundaries of what it means to be "the composer", she combines music with other media including video, photography, spoken word and theatre. She often performs in her own work.
Her music has been performed in the UK, Germany, India and the United States of America, by ensembles including the Brodick Quartet, Psappha, Hebrides Ensemble and Red Note.
Alongside composition, Shona works as a choir leader, educator, collaborator and teaching artist on numerous community, arts and education projects across Scotland.
"There's huge potential in her style, and she evidently has her finger firmly on more than one artistic pulse." - Alice Elms, TV Bomb
"wickedly mischievous" - Michael Tumelty, The Herald
Selected Works/Projects
Trailer for Creating Intimacy
A one-to-one performance with video and music (c.30mins)
First performed November 2018, CCA, Glasgow
Fireflies (miniature for solo piano)
Video with score
Cloud Hands
An audiovisual work for solo cello
Performed by Emily De Simone
Reframing Dementia was a collaborative project between Keith Lloyd Davenport (photographer), Shona Mackay (composer) and members of Kirrie Connections who had recently been diagnosed with dementia. This video shows highlights of the resulting exhibition.
Silent Noon from 'Three Songs'
Nia Lewis (mezzo-soprano) and Margaret Halbig (piano)
Women in Song recital, San Francisco, 12 Sept 2020 (online)
When the Caged Bird Sings (for flute and piano)
Video with score
Reframing Dementia was funded by the Dementia Services Development Trust. The Trust commissioned this video to showcase the work that was happening during the project.
Performances
January 2021 - Oscillating Currents
The Glasgow Barons
Flux (online event)
November 2020 - Cloud Hands
Ensemble Thing: systems_theory
Being Human Festival (online event)
September 2020 - Silent Noon from "Three Songs"
Nia Lewis (mezzo-soprano) and Margaret Halbig (piano)
Women in Song recital, San Francisco (online event)
August 2019 - Three Songs
Ankna Arockiam (mezzo-soprano) and Priya Ann Sequeira (piano)
Con Brio Festival, National Centre of Performing Arts, Mumbai
June/July 2019 - Cloud Hands
Ensemble Thing: systems_theory
Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow and Summerhall, Edinburgh
January 2019 - Silent Noon from "Three Songs"
Megan Ihnen (mezzo-soprano) and Marianne Parker (piano)
National Opera Centre, New York, USA
November 2018 - Creating Intimacy
A one-to-one performance by Shona Mackay
Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), Glasgow
