University of Glasgow

The History of the Violin in Scotland from its Beginning to 1750

Academic History:

2014- PhD Music at The University of Glasgow

2012-14 MMus in Historically Informed Performance Practice at The University of Glasgow & The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

2009-10 Postgraduate Diploma in Performance (Violin) at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama

2005-09 BMus (Hons) in Music at The University of Edinburgh

Supervisors:

Dr David McGuinness

Professor John Butt

Research Interests:

The history of the violin in Scotland; Scottish fiddle music; Scottish music in the 17th & 18th centuries; performance practice.

My doctoral research investigates evidence of an earlier history of Scottish violin playing than has previously been explored. Scholars have commonly assumed that the violin arrived in Scotland around 1670, in contrast with England, where it was active from 1540. I am looking into the early place & social functions of Scottish violinists pre-1670 by exploring emerging musical & archival evidence. By 1750, the violin was the most popular musical instrument in Scotland, a distinct national musical style had emerged & a Scottish fiddle idiom had evolved through the interaction of local & imported styles. I am interested in the reasons for this change of circumstances, such as the introduction of public concerts, new areas of patronage & the effect of the political union on Scotland’s musical scene.

Previous Research Projects:

The McFarlane Manuscript: European influences on 18th-century Scots fiddle music (BMus dissertation, University of Edinburgh, 2009)

Research assistant & musical editor on Concerto Caledonia’s Purcell’s Revenge project (Aldeburgh residency, concert and recording; March 2013)

National musical style before the invention of ‘folk’ & ‘art’ music: performance practice, style & tradition in William McGibbon’s Scots Tunes & embellishments of Corelli Sonatas (MMus dissertation, University of Glasgow, 2014)

Fillocks, fiddlers & others of that band: research blog on the early history of the violin in Scotland. https://aaronmcgregor.wordpress.com

Scholarships/ Awards/ Publications:

• 2014-present AHRC DTP Studentship
• 2013  Dunbar-Gerber Chamber Music Prize (RCS)
• 2010  Willy & Betty McPherson Prize for Violin (RSAMD)
• 2009  Niecks Essay Prize (University of Edinburgh)
• 2009  Janet Buckley Early Music Prize (University of Edinburgh)
• 2007  Emre Araci Composition Competition [1st place] (University of Edinburgh)
• 2006  Sir Thomas Beecham Prize (University of Edinburgh)
• 2006  Guthrie-Watson Scholarship (University of Edinburgh)
• 2006  Donald Dewar Arts Award
• 2003  Donald Dewar Arts Award

Contact Details:

Address: Music, School of Culture & Creative Arts, University of Glasgow, 14 University Gardens, Glasgow,G12 8QH

Email: a.mcgregor.2@research.gla.ac.uk

First published: 1 October 2014