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'''Savourna Stevenson''' (born 1961) is a Scottish [[clàrsach]] player and composer.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/well-connected-from-the-middle-east-to-sex-and-the-city-1-688694 |title=Well connected from the Middle East to Sex and the City |work=The Scotsman |date=1 January 2006 |accessdate=26 November 2014}}</ref>
'''Savourna Stevenson''' (born 1961) is a Scottish composer and harpist, and is one of the most influential figures in the modern revival and development of the [[Clarsach]] or Scottish harp. While she is identified as an interpreter of Scottish traditional music, her diverse and adventurous use of the Scottish harp, over 30 years of writing, performing and recording, has made significant inroads into a variety of musical genres including rock, jazz and world music. Since the late 1990's she has enjoyed a growing reputation in the classical music world as a composer of chamber, choral and large scale orchestral works.


Her father is the composer [[Ronald Stevenson]]. Actress [[Gerda Stevenson]] is her sister. Anna-Wendy Stevenson the Scottish fiddle player is her niece. She is married to Mark Norris the designer and maker of harps.
Her father is the Scottish composer [[Ronald Stevenson]].<ref>[http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/694 Gasser, M., "Ronald Stevenson, Composer-Pianist : An Exegetical Critique from a Pianistic Perspective" (Edith Cowan University Press, Western Australia, 2013)]</ref> Actress [[Gerda Stevenson]] is her sister.


Her musical career began in the late 1970s; at the age of 15, she was already playing at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with folk artists such as [[Fairport Convention]], [[Ralph McTell]] and [[Martin Carthy]]. Subsequent work involved her collaborating with [[Dave Swarbrick]], [[Aly Bain]] and [[Davy Spillane]].
She started playing the piano and composing at the age of 5 with her father, composer pianist Ronald Stevenson, and her first book of children's piano pieces, ''Ella Savourna's Notebook'', was published by Roberton Publications in 1970. Age 11, she began studying the pedal harp with Sanchia Pielou, harpist with the [[BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra]] and in her early teens she also became interested in folk music and began playing the Scottish harp.


She started to receive commissions for new music for theatre, dance and concerts. She first came to national attention with the 1989 album ''Tweed Journey'', which describes a journey down the [[River Tweed]] – separating Scotland from England – from its source to its mouth at [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]]. This album saw her experiment with the harp in an electric setting with rock and jazz musicians.
Her performing career began in the late 1970s; at the age of 15, she was already playing at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with folk artists such as [[Dave Swarbrick]], [[Fairport Convention]], [[A.L. Lloyd]], [[Martin Carthy]] and [[Ralph McTell]]. While still in her teens she had recorded on Dave Swarbrick's first three solo albums and subsequent work included writing, performing and recording with renowned folk artists such as fiddler [[Aly Bain]], singer [[June Tabor]] and uilleann piper [[Davy Spillane]].


On the album ''Tusitala: Teller of Tales'' (1994), she was joined by musicians from across the folk/rock/jazz spectrum in performing music she had written for the BBC television series ''[[Robert Louis Stevenson|Stevenson]]'s Travels''<ref>Gilchrist, Jim, ''Arbitrary Boundaries'', in Ross, Raymond (ed.), ''[[Cencrastus]]'' No. 52, Summer 1995, pp. 35 & 36, {{issn|0264-0856}}</ref>
Her own first solo album, Tickled Pink (1985), marked a significant turning point in her musical career; with her recordings of traditional/folk material placed alongside several of her own new compositions for Scottish harp, described by [[The Scotsman]] as "Borne on the wings of enviable technical dexterity and outstanding musicianship".


Later work saw her collaborate with the [[Bhundu Boys]] and [[Toumani Diabate]] and participate in [[World of Music, Arts and Dance|Womad]] festivals around the world. As a songwriter she has worked with writers such as [[Michael Marra]] and singers such as [[June Tabor]] and [[Eddi Reader]].
By the mid 1980's she had began to establish a reputation as a composer and started to receive commissions for new music for theatre, dance, television and concert performance. In 1985 her first music commission for a Basic Space Dance Theatre production ran for three weeks at the Edinburgh Festival and in 1987 she received the first of many commissions to write music for productions at Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre. She first came to national attention with her 1989 album ''Tweed Journey'', a suite of seven pieces which describes a journey down the [[River Tweed]] from source to sea. This album saw her experiment with the harp in an electric setting with rock and jazz musicians.


Her Harp String Quartet featured in the American TV series ''[[Sex and the City]]'', while her orchestral work Misterstourworm and the Kelpie’s Gift was performed for the first time by the [[Royal Scottish National Orchestra]] in 2003. She was then commissioned by Children’s Classic Concerts to write a new work for children. The result, ''Hansel and Gretel'', was premiered and toured across Scotland during 2005.
Later work saw her collaborate with the [[Bhundu Boys]] and [[Toumani Diabate]] and participate in [[Womad]] festivals around the world. As a songwriter she has worked with writers such as Les Barker and [[Michael Marra]] and singers such as [[June Tabor]], [[Eddi Reader]] and [[Alyth McCormack]].


Her most recent album, ''Persian Knight Celtic Dawn'' (2006), is a mix of Celtic and Middle Eastern influences. It features song settings from ''The Prophet'' by [[Khalil Gibran]] and lyrics by the Gaelic poet [[Aonghas MacNeacail]].
Her Harp Quintet ( harp + string quartet ) featured in the American TV series ''[[Sex and the City]]'' and ''[[Ugly Betty]]'', while her orchestral work ''Misterstourworm and the Kelpie’s Gift'' was performed for the first time by the [[Royal Scottish National Orchestra]] in 2003. She was then commissioned by Children’s Classic Concerts to write a new work for children. The result, ''Hansel and Gretel'', was premiered and toured across Scotland during 2005.


The release of ''Hansel & Gretel'' on Circular Records has been announced for January 2009.
Her most recent harp album, ''Persian Knight Celtic Dawn'' (2006), is a mix of Celtic and Middle Eastern influences. It features song settings from ''The Prophet'' by [[Khalil Gibran]] and lyrics by the Gaelic poet [[Aonghas MacNeacail]].

A CD of her orchestral music ''Misterstourworn and the Kelpie's Gift'', recorded by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, was released on Circular Records in 2008 and a recording of ''Hansel & Gretel'', also on Circular Records, will be released in 2012.


==Discography==
==Discography==
;Albums

'''Tickled Pink''' (1985) ( Springthyme Records, SPR 1016 )
*''Tickled Pink'' (1985)
*''Tweed Journey'' (1990)
Her first and most traditional recording which includes tracks with Aly Bain on fiddle and Frank Usher on guitar, but also introduces the first of her original compositions for small harp including ''Jalan'' and the title track ''Tickled Pink''.
*''Cutting the Chord'' (1993)
''"Born on the wings of enviable technical dexterity and outstanding musicianship"'' - THE SCOTSMAN
*''Tusitala, Teller of Tales'' (1994)

*''Singing the Storm'' (1996)
'''Tweed Journey''' (1989) ( Eclectic Records, ECL 9001 )
*''Calman the Dove'' (1998)
A musical journey down the River Tweed, from source to sea, starting with solo harp and adding an additional instrument to the band for each of the seven movements. Recorded with Scottish jazz and rock players, Neil Hay - bass, Mike Travis - drums, Foss Paterson - keyboards, Dick Lee - saxophones, Jim Sutherland - percussion and Graham Muir - guitar.
*''Touch Me Like the Sun'' (2000)
''"The most exciting and original commission to come out of Scotland this year"'' - THE INDEPENDENT
*''Persian Knight Celtic Dawn'' (2006)

;Compilations
'''Cutting the Chord''' (1992) ( Eclectic Records, ECL 9308 )
*''Celtic Harp'' (2000)
''"Her new CD finds her harp in the company of Danny Thompson's superb, ruminative double bass and Jim Sutherland's highly inventive percussion, plus the additional harp of Ireland's Aine Ni Dhuill, and the results are sublime ... definately{{sic|?}} one of the best CDs of the year"'' - THE SCOTSMAN
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/1170295-Savourna-Stevenson|title=Savourna Stevenson|website=[[Discogs]] }}</ref>

;Contributing artist
'''Tusitala, Teller of Tales''' (1994) ( Eclectic Records, ECL 9412 )
*''[[Unwired: Acoustic Music from Around the World]]'' (1999) [[World Music Network]]
Her music written for two BBC TV Omnibus programmes on the life and travels of writer Robert Louis Stevenson. Recorded with Aly Bain and Anne Wood - violin, Steve Kettley - saxophones & flute, Brian Shields - double bass, Mike Travis - drums, Dave Tulloch - marimba.
''"Again Savourna Stevenson completely re-writes the rule-book and proves the harp is capable of being pushed beyond its usual limits ... and sometimes doing the seemingly impossible"'' - TAPLAS

'''Singing the Storm''' (1996) ( Cooking Vinyl, Cook CD 102 )
Recorded with singer June Tabor and Danny Thompson on bass, including seven new songs composed by Savourna with lyrics by Liz Lochhead, Valerie Gillies, Michael Marra and Les Barker, plus five instrumental tracks.
''"An exquisite collaboration ... will move and inspire you. Brilliant, beautiful new folk music"'' - THE TIMES

'''Calman the Dove''' (1998) ( Cooking Vinyl, Cook CD 137 )
Music commissioned to commemorate 1400 years since the death of St. Columba on the Isle of Iona and first performed to what is believed to be the largest ever capacity audience in Iona Abbey.
''"Stevenson has delivered a musical gem that features not only her fluent, jazz-tinged harp but also the moody whistle and uillean pipes of Davy Spillane and the gipsy-like violin of Anne Wood"'' - THE SCOTSMAN

'''Touch Me Like the Sun''' (2000) ( Cooking Vinyl, Cook CD 192 )
Possibly Stevenson's most successful recording internationally, which includes five pieces for solo harp, a song with singer Eddi Reader and her harp quintet ( harp + string quartet ) which was used for the American TV series ''Sex and the City'' and ''Ugly Betty''.
''"Speaks eloquently of Stevenson's remarkable ability with the harp. Eddi Reader sings the title track and there is a brilliantly conceived suite in three movements with string quartet. The lively cascading notes of her harp evoke tonalities normally associated with the lute, banjo or Japanese koto. In a class of its own"'' - TIME OUT

'''Celtic Harp''' (retrospective) (2000) ( Cooking Vinyl, Gumbo CD 018 )
A retrospective compilation CD containing tracks from her three previous CDs on the Cooking Vinyl record label.

'''Persian Knight Celtic Dawn''' (2006) ( Cooking Vinyl, Cook CD 375 )
Recorded with singer Alyth McCormack and Iranian percussionists Djamchid and Bijan Chemirani. Song lyrics are taken from ''The Prophet'' by Kahlil Gibran and a Gaelic song ''Bron Agus Aigh'' was written by Aonghas MacNeacail, based on the poem ''Joy and Sorrow'' by Kahlil Gibran.

'''Misterstourworm and the Kelpie's Gift''' (2008) ( Circular Records, CR 0105 )
Recorded by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, conducted by Christopher Bell. The Story ( written by Stuart Paterson ) is narrated by actor Billy Boyd ( known for his role as the Hobbit, Pippin, in Lord of the Rings ). The CD also incorporates a book with a series of stunning illustrations by the artist Martin MacKenna. Three of Stevenson's songs for children's choir with orchestral accompaniment are also included on this recording - ''The Finn Woman'', ''Waiting for the Silver Sailed Moon'' and ''Bullies'', sung by the Edinburgh NYCoS Choir and the RSNO Junior Chorus.

'''Hansel and Gretel''' ( due for release later in 2012 ) ( Circular Records )
Recorded by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, conducted by Christopher Bell. The Story ( written by Stuart Paterson ) is narrated by actress Blyth Duff ( TV's Taggart ).

===Discography: Recordings with other artists===

'''Swarbrick''' : with Dave Swarbrick, first solo album for Transatlantic Records(1977)

'''Swarbrick 2''' : with Dave Swarbrick, second solo album for Transatlantic Records (1978)

'''Lift the Lid and Listen''' : with Dave Swarbrick, including the title track ''Lift the Lid and Listen'' for Sonet Records (1979)

'''Open Road''' : with Boys of the Lough with Aly Bain for Topic Records (1983)

'''Stones of Calanish''' : Recording of folk opera with June Tabor and Martin Carthy for Mrs Ackroyd Records (1989)

'''Chi mi'n Geamhradh''' ( I See Winter ) : Arranged accompaniments and recorded album with Gaelic singer Catherine-Anne MacPhee for Greentrax Records (1989)

'''Friends on the Road''' : with The Bhundu Boys for Cooking Vinyl Records (1992)

'''Transatlantic Sessions''' : DVD/film recording of performances with Aly Bain, Danny Thompson, Donal Lunny and Kate & Anna McGarrigle (1994)

'''Dave Swarbrick''' : Dave Swarbrick 50th birthday concert recorded live at Birmingham Town Hall for Cooking Vinyl Records (1996)


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.scotsman.com/features/Well-connected-from-the-Middle.2743148.jp] Press article from [[The Scotsman]] January 2006.

* [http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/scotland/interview-savourna-stevenson-harpist-and-composer-1-2086702] Press article from [[The Scotsman]] January 2012

==External links==
* [http://www.savournastevenson.com/ Official Website]

==Commissions for Theatre, Dance, Film and Concert Music==

'''Borders on the Insane''' : A 40 minute Edinburgh Festival production for Basic Space Dance Theatre with choreographer Tom Yang (Aug/Sept 1985)


'''Scottish Books''' : New Theme commissioned & recorded for STV (1987)


'''Beauty and the Beast''' : Music for the theatre production commissioned/performed for the Edinburgh Royal Lyceum Theatre (Dec'87/Jan'88)


'''Mary Rose''' : Music for the theatre production of J M Barrie's Mary Rose commissioned/performed with harp and electronic effects for the Edinburgh Royal Lyceum Theatre (July/Aug 1988)


'''Orchids, A Family of Flowers''' : Music comissioned/performed for the Granada TV production for Ch.4 (1988)


'''The Snowqueen''' : Music for the theatre production commissioned/performed for the Edinburgh Royal Luceum Theatre (Dec'88/Jan'89)


'''Tweed Journey (A Suite in Seven Movements)''' : 45 minutes of music for harp and seven piece band, commissioned by the Borders Festival of Ballads & Legends (Oct 1989). Recording available on the CD ''Tweed Journey''.


'''Cinderella''' : Music for the theatre production commissioned/performed for the Edinburgh Royal Lyceum Theatre (Dec'89/Jan'90)


'''Woodlands Dance Suite''' : 30 minutes of music commissioned for the Borders Dance Festival (Sept 1990)


'''Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle''' : Music commissioned/performed for the Borders Youth Theatre production (Oct 1990)


'''The Moorsong''' : A musical setting of John Buchan's short story for harp + seven piece band, commissioned by the Borders Festival and also made in to a television film for STV (1991). ( Recording not available on CD, but Video of performance available on YouTube )


'''Caledonians and Romans''' : Music commissioned for BBC Educational Television production (1991)


'''Gathering Harps''' : 40 minute music commission for the Glasgow Folk & Arts Trust, for the bicentenary of the 1792 Belfast Harp Gathering - with performances in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Barcelona (1992). Recording available on the CD ''Cutting the Chord''.


'''The Story and the Song''' : Music arranged/recorded for the BBC radio production (1992)


'''Waltzing Waters''' : Music commissioned/recorded for A Slight Shift Productions for the Waltzing Waters Audio Visual presentation.


'''Clyde to California''' : 20 minute music commission for the River Tweed Festival for the Robert Louis Stevenson centenary (1994)


'''Postscript''' : New Theme commissioned/recorded for the BBC Radio Scotland book programme (1993)


'''New Abbey Mills''' : Music commissioned/recorded for Historic Scotland video production (1993)


'''Stevenson's Travels''' : Music commission/recorded for two BBC TV Omnibus programmes celebrating the life and travels of Robert Louis Stevenson (1994). Recording available on the CD ''Tusitala Teller of Tales''.


'''Singing the Storm''' : Commission of 'New Border Ballads' with lyrics from writers Liz Lochhead, Valerie Gillies, Michael Marra and Les Barker, for the Borders Festival (1995). Recording available on the CD ''Singing the Storm'' with singer June Tabor and bassist Danny Thompson.


'''Sleeping Beauty''' : Music for the theatre production commissioned for the Edinburgh Royal Lyceum Theatre (1996)


'''Calman the Dove''' : Commissioned to commemorate 1400 years since the death of St. Columba on the Isle of Iona, for performance in Iona Abbey with Savourna/harp, Davy Spillane/uillean pipes, Anne Wood/violin and the Mull Choir (1997). Recording available on the CD ''Calman the Dove''.


'''Harp Quintet''' : A Scottish Woman's Harp Quintet ( Scottish Harp + String Quartet ) commissioned for the Celtic Connections Festival (1999). Recording available on the ''CD Touch Me Like the Sun''.


'''Misterstourworm and the Kelpie's Gift''' : Stevenson's first large scale orchestral work written during 2001/2002 funded by the prestigious Creative Scotland Award which allowed her to study orchestration under Ian MacPherson, teacher in orchestration and composition at the Royal Academy, London. Premiered by the RSNO in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and then in Edinburgh's Usher Hall in 2003. Recording available on the CD ''Misterstourworm and the Kelpie's Gift''.


'''Hansel and Gretel''' : Stevenson's second large scale orchestral work commissioned by Children's Classic Concerts (2004). Premiered and toured by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera in 2005. Recording by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, conducted by Christopher Bell, on the CD ''Hansel and Gretel'' due for release later in 2012.


''''The Finn Woman', 'Waiting for the Silver Sailed Moon' and 'Bullies'''' : Three new songs commissioned for the 10th anniversary of the National Youth Choirs of Scotland (2006). Recordings available on the CD ''Misterstourworm and the Kelpie's Gift''.


'''Orchestration of NYCoS Songs''' : Full orchestral arrangements commissioned for the NYCoS songs ''The Finn Woman'' and ''Waiting for the Silver Sailed Moon'' (2007). Recordings available with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera and the RSNO Junior Chorus on the CD ''Misterstourworm and the Kelpie's Gift''.


'''Concerto for Pedal Harp''' : A new Concerto for Pedal Harp and String Orchestra commissioned to celebrate 200 years of the modern pedal harp since the invention of the double-action pedal mechanism by Sebastian Erard in 1811 (2011). To be premiered by harpist Catrin Finch and The Scottish Ensemble in Edinbugh Queen's Hall on 7th June 2012.



{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Stevenson, Savourna
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1961
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, Savourna}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, Savourna}}
[[Category:Scottish folk harpists]]
[[Category:Scottish folk harpists]]
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{{UK-music-bio-stub}}
{{UK-composer-stub}}
{{scotland-bio-stub}}
{{scotland-musician-stub}}

Latest revision as of 02:26, 30 October 2023

Savourna Stevenson (born 1961) is a Scottish clàrsach player and composer.[1]

Her father is the Scottish composer Ronald Stevenson.[2] Actress Gerda Stevenson is her sister.

Her musical career began in the late 1970s; at the age of 15, she was already playing at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with folk artists such as Fairport Convention, Ralph McTell and Martin Carthy. Subsequent work involved her collaborating with Dave Swarbrick, Aly Bain and Davy Spillane.

She started to receive commissions for new music for theatre, dance and concerts. She first came to national attention with the 1989 album Tweed Journey, which describes a journey down the River Tweed – separating Scotland from England – from its source to its mouth at Berwick-upon-Tweed. This album saw her experiment with the harp in an electric setting with rock and jazz musicians.

On the album Tusitala: Teller of Tales (1994), she was joined by musicians from across the folk/rock/jazz spectrum in performing music she had written for the BBC television series Stevenson's Travels[3]

Later work saw her collaborate with the Bhundu Boys and Toumani Diabate and participate in Womad festivals around the world. As a songwriter she has worked with writers such as Michael Marra and singers such as June Tabor and Eddi Reader.

Her Harp String Quartet featured in the American TV series Sex and the City, while her orchestral work Misterstourworm and the Kelpie’s Gift was performed for the first time by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 2003. She was then commissioned by Children’s Classic Concerts to write a new work for children. The result, Hansel and Gretel, was premiered and toured across Scotland during 2005.

Her most recent album, Persian Knight Celtic Dawn (2006), is a mix of Celtic and Middle Eastern influences. It features song settings from The Prophet by Khalil Gibran and lyrics by the Gaelic poet Aonghas MacNeacail.

The release of Hansel & Gretel on Circular Records has been announced for January 2009.

Discography

[edit]
Albums
  • Tickled Pink (1985)
  • Tweed Journey (1990)
  • Cutting the Chord (1993)
  • Tusitala, Teller of Tales (1994)
  • Singing the Storm (1996)
  • Calman the Dove (1998)
  • Touch Me Like the Sun (2000)
  • Persian Knight Celtic Dawn (2006)
Compilations
  • Celtic Harp (2000)

[4]

Contributing artist

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Well connected from the Middle East to Sex and the City". The Scotsman. 1 January 2006. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  2. ^ Gasser, M., "Ronald Stevenson, Composer-Pianist : An Exegetical Critique from a Pianistic Perspective" (Edith Cowan University Press, Western Australia, 2013)
  3. ^ Gilchrist, Jim, Arbitrary Boundaries, in Ross, Raymond (ed.), Cencrastus No. 52, Summer 1995, pp. 35 & 36, ISSN 0264-0856
  4. ^ "Savourna Stevenson". Discogs.


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