Oadby Town Football Club - Aspire Magazine

Spotlight On Scotland
30 ASPIRE
Music From Martin
Born in 1942 in Aberdeen, Martin Dalby is an experienced and
knowledgeable musician and composer. He’s worked with numerous
well-known musicians during his long and successful career and has even
had his music performed at The Proms on four occasions.
Martin told Aspire: “It was my father, John,
who sparked my interest in music. He spent many
years as the organist of St Machar’s Cathedral
in Aberdeen after moving to Scotland from
Yorkshire in 1939. He was a very fine musician
and his love and passion for music was inbred
into me from the day I was born.”
Martin was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School
where he learnt lots from his teachers. He joined the
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in the late
1950s, after which he won a Foundation Scholarship to
the Royal College of Music in London in 1960, where
he studied composition with Herbert Howells and
viola with Frederick Riddle. Three years later, Martin
was lucky enough to spend two years in Italy thanks
to the Octavia Prize and a Sir James Caird Travelling
Scholarship. Here, Martin composed many pieces, as
well as playing the viola with a small Italian Chamber
Orchestra. With this orchestra he toured widely in
Europe and North Africa.
Martin added: “I had a wonderful two years in Italy
but on my arrival back to the UK, I discovered from
my father that an interview had been arranged with
the BBC for a music producer for the BBC’s newly
formed Music Programme (later to be Radio 3). I was
lucky enough to get the position and stayed there
until 1971.”
In 1971, Martin became the Cramb Research Fellow
in Composition at the University of Glasgow, but
in 1972 he returned to the BBC as Head of Music
for Scotland, where he began the development of
the public profile of the BBC Scottish Symphony
Orchestra, both in Great Britain and abroad. In 1991
he relinquished this post in order to pursue a more
creative role in BBC Scotland. A result of this was the
production, amongst other things, of BBC Scotland’s
massive radio history, Scotland’s Music, for which he
won a Sony Gold Award. In 1993, Martin retired from
the BBC and he now composes full time.
Martin was Chairman of the Composers’ Guild of
Great Britain from 1995 to 1998 and was a founding
director of both the British Academy of Composers
and Songwriters (now BASCA) and British Music
Rights. His membership of the BAC&S Concert
Executive Committee continued from its start until
2009. He was also Warden of the Incorporated
Society of Musicians’ Performers’ and Composers’
Section in 2001 and 2002.
Martin has written a large amount of music: for
orchestra, for chorus, for brass and wind bands, for
the Church, for film, radio and television, many songs
and song cycles, and chamber music ranging from
duos and trios to octets and nonets. Most of it has
been commissioned: from festivals such as Edinburgh,
Cheltenham, Cardiff, Orkney and Peterborough, or
from orchestras and ensembles.
It has been performed widely throughout the world,
most notably at such festivals as the Warsaw Autumn
and the Henry Wood Proms in London for which in
1991 he wrote The Mary Bean for the Royal Scottish
National Orchestra.
Work for his home city occupied him after that. First,
The White Maa for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra,
music to celebrate 200 years of Union Street in
Aberdeen and more recently a String Quartet to
celebrate 500 years of Aberdeen University. In
1998 he composed his third Piano Sonata for Peter
Seivewright and a year later, a short piece for the
National Youth String Orchestra of Scotland, The
First Thursday in May, welcoming the return of a
Government in Scotland. At this time he was reliving
his fascination with the music of the great Scots
fiddler and composer, J. Scott Skinner, creating his
own five movement orchestral suite A When in Doric
from it. The act of ‘rebuilding’ Skinner’s tender and
characteristically Scottish music is born of devotion
not of destruction.
More recently, Martin’s attention has turned to
writing vocal music both for children and adults. He
is completing a set of songs for voice and piano in
memory of one of his Labradors, A Little Songbook
for Tessa. Sunbeam for Sheba (2002) is likewise a song
in memory of a Labrador - Tessa’s mother. He is also
completing a substantial work for eight double basses
and is beginning to write Lang Johnnie More: an
essay with trumpet mutes.
Martin is passionate about encouraging the youth of
today to get involved with music, both listening to it
and playing it. He said: “I think music is a marvellous
thing. In my opinion there’s nothing better than
playing in an orchestra or a band. Music is not only
good for the soul, it’s good for the brain too, so I’d
encourage any young people out there to get involved
with their school or local choir or orchestra, or even
take music lessons – life’s too short not to do what
makes you happy!”
With such a successful career behind him, it’s not hard
to see why Martin was chosen for Aspire’s Platinum
Certificate of Recognition 2011. Sales Executive,
Emily Davison, explained why he was chosen for our
most prestigious Certificate: “Martin has a wealth of
knowledge and experience from a long and successful
career in the music industry, which is why he was the
obvious choice for our Certificate.”
On hearing the news Martin added: “It comes as a
surprise to be selected from many others who are as
well deserving as I am.”
Contact Martin Dalby on Tel: 01360 660427
Email: martindalby@btinternet.com Web: www.impulse-music.co.uk/dalby
Discover The Hear t Of The
Highlands At Ness Cottage
Not constrained to holidaying in the school
holidays, retired and semi-retired couples are
free to explore Great Britain as and when they
please. This freedom and flexibility enables
them to travel further for longer, which is why
we’d like to recommend holidaying in Scotland
this spring.
Situated just ten minutes’ walk from Inverness city centre,
Ness Cottage provides the perfect base from which to
explore the north Highlands and surrounding Invernessshire
region. Catering for a couple, Ness Cottage has
been owned by Don Greig for the last 12 years. Don told
Aspire: “My family and I originally bought Ness Cottage as
a temporary home when we were selling and moving out
of the family home; we actually didn’t end up moving but
we still bought the property. We decided to open it up to
holidaymakers because it’s in such a wonderful location,
central to the whole of Inverness, as well as easily
accessible to the rest of Inverness-shire.”
Well-furnished and decorated for comfort, Ness Cottage is
an excellent base from which to explore thanks to its cosy
twin bedroom, well-equipped kitchen with fridge/freezer,
washing machine and tumble dryer, lounge with TV and
DVD player and an enclosed garden with garden furniture
and privacy courtesy of a 6ft-high, well-maintained
hedge. Don added: “There’s a car parking for about 10
cars directly opposite the cottage, but the cottage boasts
unrivalled privacy as it’s set back from the road, tucked
away behind another house. Regrettably, we do not
accept pets and as the cottage only has twin beds it’s not
ideal for couples with children; in fact, I’d say it’s more
geared towards older couples.”
Within walking distance of Eden Court Theatre and
Inverness City Centre, Ness Cottage is ideally situated
for exploring the thriving city of Inverness, which boasts
an enviable location on the banks of the River Ness at
the head of the Great Glen. The city is crowned by a
pink crenellated castle and is amongst the top ten cities
in Britain visited by overseas visitors. There are plenty
of places to shop, eat, drink and relax, and as a small,
compact city, it’s easy to get around.
Further afield, holidaymakers can explore the history
and heritage of Scotland; re-live one of Scotland's most
famous battles at Culloden battlefield, sample some
of Scotland’s finest whisky at the numerous distilleries
littered across the region or even see a school of dolphins
frolic in the nearby Moray Firth 0 the possibilities are
endless.
One of the most famous residents that you can visit
around the Inverness region is Nessie; Loch Ness is just
14 miles from Ness Cottage (about a 30-minute drive). In
fact Loch Ness Cruises are just a 10-minute stroll from the
cottage door, making hunting this world-famous monster
a must for holidaymakers holidaying here for the first
time.
Don added: “There’s so much to see and do in this area,
guests are often spoilt for choice. In fact around 90% of
my clientele is returning guests, who simply ran out of
time to explore everything this area has to offer; either
that or they fell in love with the area and I can’t blame
them!”
Prices for a week’s stay at Ness Cottage range from
£240 per week in the winter to £370 in the summer. All
linen and towels are provided. The central heating can
be adjusted easily, or in summer can be switched off
altogether. Alternatively the gas fire can be easily ignited,
providing instant heat.
For more information, please contact
Tel: 01463 232976 | Web: www.nesscottage.co.uk | Email: dgreig@nildram.co.uk
Don Greig
Ness Cottage
6 Ballifeary Road
Inverness
IV3 5PJ
ASPIRE 31