kathryn tickell

Kathryn Tickell was born in 1967. Her roots are very definitely in the North Tyne Valley of Northumberland, where many of her relatives still play traditional music. Her father Mike Tickell is an acclaimed performer of the songs of this area.

Kathryn has always been surrounded by music and has played the piano since the age of six. She took up the Northumbrian smallpipes at the age of 9 and by the age of 13 had won all of the traditional open smallpipes competitions at the Border festivals and many fiddle competitions also. In 1980 she learned the Shetland fiddle style from the great player and teacher Tom Anderson. As a result of this, she was invited to play at the Shetland Folk Festival in 1981, where she was so popular that she was invited back the following year. In 1983, she was a guest at the Edinburgh International Festival, the first year that famous event included British traditional music in its programme.

In 1984, she recorded her first album On Kielderside. In 1985, she turned professional, immediately entering a busy schedule of work throughout Britain, as well as recording a Northumbrian music album From Shewingshields to Glendale with Alistair Anderson and other respected musicians such as Joe Hutton, Willy Taylor and Will Atkinson. 1986, saw her still working extensively as well as recordingher secondf solo album Borderlands for Black Crow Records. This record was released in January 1987 to great critical acclaim and featured in the Folk Roots, "Top Thirty" for over a year. Kathryn also featured on the "Square Roots" compilation performing with Rory McLeod, and played sessions on albums for various bands.

Kathryn's third album Common Ground featured two of the most respected players in Britain Danny Thompson on bass and guitarist Chris Newman. It was chosen of "Q" Magazine's "Record of the Year". Kathryn was also named as Top instrumentalist in the Folk Roots Poll of 1988 and was also nominated for two major awards, the Variety Club of Great Britain's "Northern Personality of the Year Award" and a Northern Arts Awards for outstanding achievement throughout the year, in whicvh she scooped the main honours in the Performing Arts Category.

In 1990 the Kathryn Tickell Band was formed. The next few years saw Kathryn putting all her energy into the band, recording the albums, The Kathryn Tickell Band and, Signs and touring extensively throughout the world. However she still found time to compose music for two of Newcastle's Live Theatre Company productions, to present a series of programmes for Radio 2, record with the Penguin Cafe Orchestra and with The Chieftains. During this time Kathryn also contributed to Sting albums, as well as joining him to play live at Newcastle City Hall & also on TV.

In March 1997 Kathryn's sixth album, The Gathering was released to great critical acclaim and led to appearances on Later with Jools Holland and playing live on Andy Kershaw's Radio 1 show. In May, Sting, Jimmy Nail & Kathryn hit the stage of the Carnegie Hall, New York, performing, "The Waters of the Tyne" at a benefit concert in aid of the Rainforest Foundation. The song has also been recorded for a benefit CD, Carnival.

Since then Kathryn has been involved in a collaboration with saxophone player John Surman, culminating in two concerts at Stockton Riverside Festival. She has also been presenting more programmes for Radio 2 featuring young musicians throughout Britain.

In February 1997 Kathryn founded the Young Musicians Fund. Managed by The Community Foundation, the fund aims to help young people in the North East region to realise their musical potential.

In 1998 Kathryn released, The Northumberland Collection, an album featuring various musicians and singers from the county. She also became Gateshead's Composer in Education, working with three primary schools and the Gateshead Youth Orchestra. 1999 saw Kathryn touring with her new band & releasing her eighth album, Debateable Lands. In August 1999 Kathryn was awarded a bursary from the Britten-Pears Foundation to study composition with Judith Weir at Dartington International Summer School. She also presented a series of TV programmes on music composition for Channel 4 Schools.

2000 fue otro año excitante, con la grabación, emisión y presentaciones en directo de Lordenshaws, una pieza compuesta por Kathryn para formación de gaitas.

2000 was another exciting year with, Lordenshaws, Kathryn's piece for pipes & small ensemble, being penned, toured and broadcast. The other major project of 2000 was, Ensemble Mystical, an exciting new group set up by Kathryn and including musicians from classical, jazz and folk backgrounds. The group toured and released an album in the final part of the year.

Recordings :
On Kielderside (1984)
Borderlands (1988)
Common Grounds (1988)
Kathryn Tickell Band (1991)
Signs (1993)
The Gathering (1997)
The Northumberland Collection (1998)