Saskia Tomkins is a British musician and actress, living since 2007 in

Ontario, Canada Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

. She plays the

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

and

Nyckelharpa A nyckelharpa (, "keyed fiddle", or literally "key harp", plural ) is the national musical instrument of Sweden. It is a string instrument or chordophone. Its keys are attached to tangents which, when a key is depressed, serve as frets to cha ...

. She performs and records in several genres, including traditional, modern, jazz and classical music.

Early life and education

Tomkins grew up in

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, UK, and began studying the violin at age seven. She studied jazz and popular music at

Middlesex University Middlesex University London (legally Middlesex University and abbreviated MDX) is a public research university in Hendon, northwest London, England. The name of the university is taken from its location within the historic county boundaries ...

in London, UK, graduating with B. A. in performing arts.

Career

Tomkins toured in Germany with

Robb Johnson Robb Jenner Johnson (born 25 December 1955) is a British musician and songwriter who has been called "one of the last genuinely political songwriters". He is known for his mix of political satire and wit. He has his own record label, Irregular ...

and Miranda Sykes in Johnson's band RJ3. She performed on several of Johnson's albums, released on Irregular Records. Tomkins performed with the band Lintilla. In 2006 she won the All Britain Fiddle Championship in the category of Irish slow airs. Tomkins met and married Irish multi-instrumentalist Steáfán Hannigan. The couple moved to Ontario, Canada in 2007. In 2008, Hannigan and Tomkins performed with

The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...

Roy Thompson Hall Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located downtown in the city's entertainment district, it is home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and the Toronto Defiant. Opened in 1982, its cir ...

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

. That year the couple formed a band called Cairdeas (Friends) with singer Elizabeth Barlow, and independently released an album of Irish songs and tunes, ''Generous Lover''. The Hannigan family then toured in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

, and Barlow left the band. With a new singer, Marsala Lukianchuk, Cairdeas released a second album, ''Christmas by Candlelight''. Tomkins and Hannigan continued to perform together and separately with various Canadian groups, and to host Irish music sessions. In 2011 Tomkins performed in the

4th Line Theatre The 4th Line Theatre is a Canadian theatre company located near the small town of Millbrook, Ontario in the township of Cavan Monaghan that is dedicated to producing and developing original Canadian theatre, from small-town stories to broad nationa ...

production of ''The Cavan Blazers''. In 2013 she provided musical accompaniment for the play ''The Winslows of Derryvore'' at the same theatre. In 2014 she performed an original score on the violin for the Capital Theatre production of ''Driving Miss Daisy'' in Cobourg."Driving Miss Daisy offers some nice surprises"
''Northumberland Today'', May 22, 2014 She was interviewed on the Northumberland 89.7 FM morning show with Jim Glover in November 2014. She also performed in the 4th Line Theatre production of ''Wounded Soldiers'' and provided musical accompaniment for the Spiel Players’ production of ''Lady with a Lap Dog'' in Peterborough. For several years Tomkins was the principal violist in the Northumberland Orchestra in Port Hope, Ontario. She also performed in a number of live concerts with the seasonal Celtic ensemble Nollaig. Tomkins and jazz guitarist Brandon S. Besharah, calling their duo "2ish", released two albums, ''Really?'' and ''Whoteva'', in 2015, and performed at the Port Hope Jazz Festival and the Canadian Guitar Festival. In 2016 Tomkins, along with Steáfán and Oisin Hannigan and Sam Allison performed as part of David Newland's travelling concert series "Northwest Passage in Story and Song", which celebrated events in Canadian history through original ballads and storytelling. Tomkins is also in the cast of the 4th Line Theatre's production of ''The Hero of Hunter Street''.

Personal life

Tomkins and Hannigan have three musical children. In 2015 they live in Baltimore, Ontario. The family occasionally performs together at local events such as Clan Hannigan.

Festivals

*Kentfolk, 2007 *Millrace Folk Festival, 2007 *Goderich Celtic College, 2007 *Cobourg Highland Games, 2010 *Clarington Arts and Music Festival, 2013 (with the Maple Leaf Jug Band) *Portneuf Drums Festival 2013 *Port Hope Jazz Festival, 2015. (2ish) *Canadian Guitar Festival, 2015 (2ish)

Discography

*'' Acoustically Driven'', Uriah Heep, Phantom Records, 2001 *'' Totally Driven'', Uriah Heep, self-published, 2001. *''Turn to Me'', Bill Jones, 2002, Bedspring. *''21st Century Blues'', Robb Johnson, Irregular Records. *'' The Triumph of Hope Over Experience''. Robb Johnson, Irregular Records, 2002. *''Clockwork Music'', Robb Johnson, Irregular Records. *''The Big Wheel'', Robb Johnson, Irregular Records. *''Rumours of Rain'' Folk for Peace, Hypertension Records 2004 *''Ordinary Heroes'', George Papavgeris, Irregular Records, 2004 *''All That Way for This'', Robb Johnson and the Irregulars, Irregular Records, 2008."Albion Magazine Online Winter 08: Folk & Rock Reviews: Cropredy Folk Festival, Martin Simpson, New Model Army, Babyshambles, Paladin"
''zyworld.com''. *'' Slowdown''. Al-pha-x , I-Label, 2008 *'' Missing_Link '', Al-pha-x , DreaMusic, 2010 * ''Generous Lover'', Cairdeas *''Christmas by Candlelight'', Cairdeas *''Best Dress'', Collette Savard, 2012 *''West Pier Serenade''. Robb Johnson, Irregular Records, 2013 *''Really?'', 2ish, 2015. *''Whoteva'' 2ish, 2015

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomkins, Saskia Year of birth missing (living people) Living people