About
Troy MacGillivray
Troy MacGillivray's musical prowess can be attributed to an especially rare combination of commitment and bloodline. By the age of six, Troy was already impressing audiences with his step dancing skills. By 13 he was teaching piano at the renowned Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts. He has completed grade seven of the Toronto Conservatory of Music for classical piano, spent four years in a stringed orchestra and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in music from St. Francis Xavier University.Troy has a roots-centered approach to his fiddling and piano playing that has powerfully inspired audiences around the world. On his most recent album, ELEVEN, Troy delivers his musical furor with fiddle, piano, viola, and bass while an international cast of musicians accentuates his artistry with flute, cello, guitar and bodhran. ELEVEN evokes such passion, that the listener is taken on an emotional ride that leaves them wanting more. Whether it’s the playful innocence of Teetotalers, the haunting mysticism of Dream at Dawn, the excitement of Road to Erroigie that leaves you breathless, or the pure tradition of Hughie No. 11, ELEVEN’s decidedly poignant ups and downs are woven together into an innovative, sophisticated creation. ELEVEN first became available at the Celtic Colours International Festival, 2005.
His first two recordings both received East Coast Music Award nominations as well as Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia nominations. BOOMERANG (2003) is a demonstration of the piano and fiddle played in the purist traditional stylings. MUSICAL TIES (2001) is a blend of contemporary and original compositions with two hundred year old melodies played on the piano and fiddle. A collection of uplifting strathspeys, jigs and reels are complimented by the graceful presence of two beautiful Gaelic airs.
Troy's bloodline is equally as impressive. The Lanark MacGillivrays and MacDonalds have been proprietors of the Gaelic tradition in North Eastern Nova Scotia for generations. Troy's grandfather, Hugh A. MacDonald, is a member of the Nova Scotia Country Hall of Fame – an honour bestowed for his contribution to the Gaelic culture of Nova Scotia. His parents, Tony and Janice, and sisters Sabra and Kendra (a two-time ECMA award winner) have all displayed their musical talents joining Troy on the stage and in the studio.
This past year has been an incredibly busy year for Troy MacGillivray. At the age of 24, he was the 2004 recipient of the "Auleen Theriault Young Tradition Award" from the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival in Goderich, Ontario. He embarked on what is arguably the most impressive tour ever attempted by an independent artist, in support of BOOMERANG. This tour started out in Toronto, took him to various locations throughout Ontario, as far west as Victoria, BC and back east to the Maritimes - even making appearances in Iqaluit, Nunavut. He recorded a television program for the Bravo Television Network and provided music for a CBS made-for-TV movie starring Jane Seymour. Other performance highlights include Celtic Connections 2005 in Glasgow, the 2005 East Coast Music Awards, the 2005 Tonder Festival in Denmark, Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton, and the Edinburgh Fiddle Festival - not to mention numerous dances, concerts and ceilidhs throughout Canada and the United Kingdom.
Whether playing piano or fiddle, or showcasing his step dancing capabilities, Troy MacGillivray certainly displays intense commitment to the Celtic heritage he inherited from his Highland ancestors and his artistic genius is not to be missed.
Past Events
The Duncan Showroom - Upstairs
20
Mar
2006
19:30 21:30