Guest Lecture at the University of St Andrews

Thanks so much to the Laidlaw Music Centre at the University of St Andrews for having me along to share some stories behind the traditional folk tunes that have made it into some of the film soundtracks that I've been involved in.

It was lovely to have such a vibrant room of folks to chat with and some of the main points coming out of discussions were:

• The resource of traditional music in Scotland: The place-based nature of traditional folk music allows it to really convey a sense of the culture of a place. When it comes to producing film content about Scottish communities, these tunes can be so valuable in allowing audiences to connect with the unique tone and heritage of the locations of the stories we're telling. For example, one bar of a Shetland fiddle tune will make it pretty clear that there is nowhere else in the world you could be than the Shetland isles!

• The flexibility of traditional music: The tunes that have been passed down to new generations each year that make up Scotland's musical culture as endlessly versatile. Especially for soundtracking films, a fast-paced jig or reel isn't always the best thing to go under dialogue. Slowing down jigs and reels can be a brilliant way to discover whole new tunes within your existing repertoire and find great options for soundtracks that convey a sense of place without taking focus away from the action of the story.