Donald Shaw, (born 1967
) is a Scottish musician, composer, producer, and one of the founding members of the group
Capercaillie.
Shaw has composed for film and TV. In 2002, he won two
Royal Television Society (RTS) awards for Best Soundtrack and Best Theme in UK television for the drama Crowdie and Cream. His score for the film ''Transition'' (released in 2000) was
BAFTA nominated for best soundtrack. In 2004, he composed ''Harvest'', a commission for the opening night of Celtic Connections festival. He won the Scots Trad Music Composer of the Year award in December 2006.
Origins
Brought up in
Taynuilt
Taynuilt (; , meaning 'the house by the stream') is a large village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland located at the western entrance to the narrow Pass of Brander.
Location
The village is situated on the River Nant about a kilometre before the rive ...
,
Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
, a part of the world steeped in Gaelic song and traditional music, Shaw was involved in all styles of music from an early age. Taught the accordion by his father. Following taking lessons and receiving classical accordion training from Sylvia Wilson LBCA the two time All Britain Champion,Donald was entered into the All Britain Championship at 16 which he won. A year later, whilst still at
Oban High School
Oban High School is a secondary school in Oban, Argyll, Scotland. The head teacher is Peter Bain. Mr Bain has been the head teacher since 2008. The roll is currently 874. A new school opened in April 2018.
History
Oban High School opened in ...
, returning to his love of
roots music, he co-founded Capercaillie, with whom he still writes, produces and performs.
Composing
Throughout his musical life, Shaw has been involved in composing for film and TV, most recently composing the music for the BAFTA nominated film, ''American Cousins''.
He also scored ''One Last Chance'', a feature film written and directed by Stewart Svaasand. For the soundtrack of ''One Last Chance'', Shaw recorded with Louisiana musician Dirk Powell (''
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' is a 2000 comedy drama film written, produced, co-edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and ...
'') to create a score influenced by early American folk music.
In 2002, he was rewarded with two
Royal Television Society awards for 'Best Soundtrack' and 'Best Theme' in UK television. The RTS awards were for the drama, ''Crowdie and Cream'', (co-composed with Charlie McKerron) and involved bringing over 20 musicians together from around the world, together with the
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) is a Scottish broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC), it is the oldest full-time professional r ...
. His 70-minute score for the feature film ''Transition'' (released in 2000) was also BAFTA nominated for best soundtrack.
Producing
As well as film music, he has produced and recorded on more than 50 albums for artists in all areas of music, and collaborated with musicians including as
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Caroline Griffith (July 6, 1953 – August 13, 2021) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She appeared many times on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'' starting in 1985 (season 10). In 1994 she won a Grammy Award f ...
,
Peter Gabriel,
Ornette Coleman,
Dulce Pontes
Dulce José Silva Pontes (; born 8 April 1969) is a Portuguese songwriter and singer who performs in many musical styles, including pop, folk, and classical music. She is usually defined as a world music artist. Her songs contributed to the 1990s ...
and
Bonnie Raitt. He was musical director for the BBC arts show ''Tacsi'', in which he produced collaborations with more than 200 musicians including
Tommy Smith,
Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett (17 February 1971 – 30 January 2005) was a Canadian-Scottish musician who was influential in the evolution of modern Celtic fusion, a blending of traditional Celtic and modern music. He was a piper, violinist, composer and prod ...
and the BT Ensemble. In 2000, he launched the independent label Vertical Records.
Celtic Connections
In January 2004, he composed ''Harvest'', a commission for the opening night of the
Celtic Connections
The Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of tra ...
festival, involving 100 musicians from all Celtic regions of Europe. Also involved where some of the finest young traditional musicians from throughout Scotland, from the ages of 13 to 18. ''Harvest'' was also performed at the 2006 Celtic Connections Festival.
In 2006, Shaw was appointed Artistic Director of Celtic Connections 2007. He won the
Scots Trad Music 'Composer of the Year' award in December 2006. Celtic Connections celebrated its 25th year in 2018, and Shaw announced in February 2018 that he would be stepping aside as the Artistic Director of Celtic Connections.
Discography
Appearances
*''Hold Your Horses'' —
Ella Edmondson
Eleanor Rose "Ella" Edmondson (born 22 January 1986) is an English singer-songwriter. Her primary instrument is the guitar although she can also play the piano.Interview with Judi Spiers on BBC Devon, 16 February 2009.
Early life
Eleanor Rose Edm ...
(2009)
*''Mark the Hard Earth'' -
Kris Drever
Kris Drever (born 31 October 1978) is a Scottish contemporary folk musician and songwriter who came to prominence in 2006 with the release of his debut solo album, ''Black Water''. Drever is the vocalist and guitarist of the folk trio Lau with ...
(2010)
*''Avalanche'' –
Ímar
Ímar ( non, Ívarr ; died c. 873), who may be synonymous with Ivar the Boneless, was a Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century who founded the Uí Ímair dynasty, and whose descendants would go on to dominate the Ir ...
(2018)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, Donald
Living people
1967 births
Scottish composers
People educated at Oban High School
People from Taynuilt
Capercaillie (band) members
Vertical Records artists
Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 1996