Kristina Leesik & Chris Gray EP Launch
+ Rhona Macfarlane
Entry Requirements: 18+
Kristina Leesik & Chris Gray
Kristina Leesik - Violin & Vocals Chris Gray - Piano
Kristina and Chris' EP is the result of their time playing together over the last year in Sweden and Scotland. Both Kristina & Chris have spent time living in Sweden and Scotland studying at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and at Kungliga Musikhögskolan in Stockholm. Their music exposes a shared interest of both Celtic and Scandinavian cultures of folk music and together they blend their individual musical backgrounds to create an exciting and engaging sound.
Kristina Leesik
Kristina Leesik is a Swedish fiddle player and singer from Stockholm. With inspiration from different folk music traditions in Sweden and Scandinavia she likes to explore these styles and make it her own. In recent years she’s been more involved in traditional music from both Ireland and Scotland, and the collaboration between her and Chris Gray is a brilliant example of combining the rich culture of Scandinavian and Celtic music together!
Chris Gray Chris’ style of playing is influenced hugely by his time spent being around and playing folk music from a young age. His innovative approach to his piano arrangements has led to him being involved in many collaborations and performances. Highlights including performing at festivals in Wickham (England), Ortigueira (Spain) & Lorient (France), solo piano at Blair Castle for Keepers of the Quaich banquets and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well as being a member of the World Champion pipe band Inveraray & District. Chris has also been a part of many performances at the Celtic Connections festival as well as playing and teaching with various projects internationally in New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia and Oman. Chris' time spent studying in Stockholm has brought him closer to Scandinavian folk music and as a result this exciting collaboration with Kristina Leesik.
Line Up
Kristina Leesik & Chris Gray EP Launch
Rhona Macfarlane is a singer songwriter from Scotland. She is a versatile musician performing with guitar or piano, often introducing new sounds with the addition of string accompaniments. Her songs are personal, honest and intimate with the mood being set by rich musical melodies and harmonies. Rhona has played live on the Janice Forsyth Show on BBC Radio Scotland and has been featured on Scotland on Sunday’s New Music: Under the Radar. Tracks from her latest EP “The Tide” have been played on several BBC Radio Scotland shows, including BBC Introducing. The title track was shortlisted in the top 100 for the 2017 Salute Music Makers competition. Her growing reputation has seen her invited to support a wide range of artists such as Rory Butler, Siv Jakobsen, Martha Reeves and Nell Bryden. In early 2018 she will be performing at the Hazy Recollections at the Celtic Connections music festival.
“softly floating “like a boat on silent water” you are transported away from whatever grey mundane existence you find yourself in, to a world of beautiful beats and scintillating vocals.” Ravechild
“singer-songwriter Rhona Macfarlane, whose emotional and reflective storytelling casts a gentle spell over her audience.” The modernrecord.com
“demonstrating an aptitude for penning a pop ballad, while simultaneously appealing to the trad community with a combination of acoustic guitar and fiddle.” Scotland on Sunday
