An Dochas

This Scottish band emerged over the Gaelic folk scene in the beginning of the new millennium, offering a thrilling contemporary interpretation of traditional Scottish and Irish music. Dòchas started lifestyle in 1997 being a ceilidh dance music group, with the original line-up composed of Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Play learners Rachel Walker (b. 1976, Salisbury, Wiltshire, Britain; vocals), Carol-Anne MacKay (b. Scotland; bagpipes, whistles, accordion) and Sharon Hassan (b. Scotland). The line-up was quickly extended to support Kathleen Boyle (b. Scotland; piano, accordion) and Eilidh MacLeod (b. Isle of Skye, Scotland; clarsach, piano). Dòchas developed an exciting popularity on the original circuit, playing at many in house and outdoor locations throughout European countries. In 2000, Julie Fowlis (b. North Uist, Scotland; vocals, pipes, whistles) and RSAMD graduate Jenna Reid (b. Shetland, Scotland; fiddle, vocals) had been brought in to displace the outgoing Walker and Hassan. Fowlis’ tone of voice added a fresh dimension towards the music group’s audio, and with the putting your signature on of a documenting contract they got into the studio room to focus on their debut record. The self-titled established featured a thrilling mixture of ballads and up-tempo reels and polkas, with Fowlis and Reid adding the majority of the vocals. The positive vital and commercial reaction to the record resulted in the music group being voted Greatest Newcomer on the Scottish Traditional Music Honours in 2004. Among the visitor music artists on Dòchas, bodhrán participant Martin O’Neill, was drafted in to the line-up over the music group’s 2005 follow-up, An D? rna Umhail (THE NEXT Look). This extremely impressive record became another exciting romp through modern and traditional materials, using the Fowlis/Reid duet ‘I Ho Ro’s Na Hug Oroa Eile’/‘Ae Fond Kiss’ a specific highlight.