LISE SINCLAIR (Town Hall, Lerwick, Thursday 9 December 2004)

10 December 2004

JOANNE JAMIESON reports from the premiere performance of a new piece by Shetland singer and composer LISE SINCLAIR.

A NEW SHETLAND composer has burst onto the local music scene with the public performance of her first piece of work. Best known locally as a singer, Lise Sinclair from Fair Isle has composed a suite of music to accompany ten Shetland poems. ‘Ivver Entrancin Wis’ debuted as part of local literary magazine the New Shetlander’s Christmas night.

The evening began with storyteller Davy Cooper warming up the packed hall. Complete with Fair Isle jumper and cap, Davy told two well-known Shetland folklore stories. The first was the story of Jan Tait’s bear and the second about a giant who is harassed by Shetland’s little people, the Trows. Davy is a captivating storyteller and always manages to keep his listeners intrigued.

Visiting poet Gerry Cambridge was introduced by New Shetlander co-editor Alex Cluness as ‘one of Scotland’s most terrific poets’. I was looking forward to hearing Gerry again and was slightly disappointed when the first few poems he read were ones I had heard him perform in Shetland before.

But I must admit the poem about Tom Mackay still made me laugh. Tom was an old bachelor who lived in Papa Westray in Orkney. He would drive around the isle on his tractor at night looking for women. He believed if he could only find himself a wife his life would be perfect.

“Lise Sinclair transformed the poems into songs in their own right.”

After the interval Lise and the musicians took to the stage. The group were made up of local and visiting string players. On harp was Catriona Mackay, while Chris Stout laid aside his usual fiddle for viola. Wendy Weatherby from Edinburgh joined three young local cellists, Abby Hayward, Emily Garriok and Jennifer Adamson.

Lise has taken ten poems, some old, some new, by different poets and composed music for each one that reflects the mood and tone of the poem. She sang the first piece alone, her voice gentle and clear.

All girl singing group Cappella sang ‘Wir Midder da Sea’. The piece was lovely and the group is a tribute to work of their teacher Deirdre Hayward. It was the first time Lise has heard the group sing her arrangement and she broke her pledge not to speak during the performance to give them a special thanks.

Lise was joined by fellow members of Fair Isle based singing group Fridaray for a relaxing and soothing performance of ‘Da Boannie Fisher Lass’. One of the highlights for me was Rhoda Butler’s ‘Dreamboat’. There were no vocals but the piece managed to convey the rhythmic sounds and tempo of the poem.

Lise Sinclair transformed the poems into songs in their own right. She really excelled herself, and I hope there is more to come from her along these lines. I also hope a way is found to record the music, as it would be a pity if it was not destined to go any further.