Date/Time
Date(s) - Thu 12th Mar, 2026
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Weaving words and music
In this session, Julie and Zoë will explore the idea of composition, and discuss their own creative process of composing new music inspired by existing poetry, both traditional and contemporary, concentrating mainly on the approach to working with poetry in Scottish Gaelic and Irish. We will delve into various approaches to composition, including melodic and harmonic structuring and the integration of rhythm and meter from the poetry to enhance musical expression. Participants will learn about techniques such as counterpoint, orchestration, and the use of motifs and arrangements to create cohesive pieces.
A basic understanding of music theory and terminology would be helpful, as we will be discussing technical aspects of composition and using musical terminology. However, the workshop is open to all and will be a welcoming space. The session will be delivered in English and there is no need to understand the Gaelic language nor to have a certain skill level in music to participate – everyone is welcome!
There will be an opportunity to ask questions to Julie and Zoë during the second half.
Hosted by Moniack Mhor on Zoom Pro.
Tutor
“If snow could sing, it would sing like Julie Fowlis” – Robert Macfarlane
Julie Fowlis is a multi-award winning singer and musician who is deeply influenced by her upbringing in the Hebrides and Highlands of Scotland. Scotland’s inaugural Tosgaire na Gàdhlig (National Gaelic Ambassador) she will forever be recognised for singing the theme songs to Brave, Disney Pixar’s Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning animated film. She is classically trained and collaborates internationally, crossing genres, styles and languages. Regularly composing for TV and film, she recently co-wrote the opening title music for Outlander spin off series, Blood of my Blood. She has graced stages such as Carnegie Hall, the Philharmonie de Paris and the Royal Albert Hall and sang live to a worldwide TV audience of over a billion people at the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Her ‘crystalline’ and ‘intoxicating’ vocals even made it to space on a NASA astronaut playlist.
Zoë Conway is an internationally acclaimed fiddle player, vocalist and composer who effortlessly combines a background steeped in Ireland’s rich aural music tradition with a strong founding in classical music. A virtuoso performer, she has toured globally and played prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, The Kremlin Palace and The National Concert Hall in Dublin. Her dynamic style has led to collaborations with artists across genres, performing with Rodrigo y Gabriella, Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan, Nick Cave, Lou Reed and many more. Zoë’s unique voice in Irish music comes from her diverse influences. Her compositions have been widely embraced – featured in TV, film, theatre and performed by the National Symphony Orchestra, WDR Orchestra Germany, Geneva Camerata Switzerland, and by world-renowned artists including Flook and Altan.
Fees
We are running this as a ‘pay as you can’ event. Please see our booking options below. By paying our standard price wherever possible you help us give people on lower incomes more opportunities to attend, thank you. Please read our Terms & Conditions for full details about our cancellation policy.
We have a limited number of free places for this event, if these are showing as not available and you need a free place to be able to access the event, please email a request to us on online@moniackmhor.org.uk, thank you.
Access
Please let us know in your booking form if you have any access requirements when working online so we can do our best to support you. For more information about access to our courses, please visit our Access page.
Terms and Conditions
Please read our Terms & Conditions before booking.