The Alba Duo - Helen Thomson & Michelle McCabe

Harp and Flute Duo

About The Alba Duo's Music

Music Genre:Classical, Popular and Traditional Scottish
Area Covered:Throughout Scotland

What Makes The Alba Duo Special?

• Wide variety of music with classical being a particular specialty
• Many popular and favourite pieces
• Traditional Scottish, Celtic and contemporary music
• Harp and flute duo available - see Alba Duo
• Professional wedding performers with many years experience
• Options: Harpist only, see Helen Thomson

Michelle McCabe and Helen Thomson first performed together in 1992 with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. Since 1999 they have collaborated on many occasions, giving recitals throughout Scotland and playing at many prestigious weddings and functions.

Michelle McCabe studied flute at the RSAMD and chamber music at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada. Michelle freelances in Scotland and has performed with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera, and various chamber ensembles including her flute quartet, Just Flutes with whom she has been a prizewinner of the RSAMD Chamber Music Prize, the John Tunnell Trust Competition, and the Royal Overseas League. Michelle also has a strong commitment to music education and leads creative music workshops for Artlink Central .

Helen Thomson began her harp studies with Sanchia Pielou, continuing with Eluned Pierce and Eira Lynn Jones at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She graduated DRSAMD (Teachers) in 1995, CPGS in 1996 and in 1997 she gained her Masters of Music Degree in Performance.

Helen performs and records with many of the major Orchestras in the United Kingdom and has appeared as soloist with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Bach Consort and The Academy Strings. She appeared as the on-stage Harpist in Scottish Opera’s production of Smetana’s Dalibor, and was one of the four harpists performing in Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Helen has toured throughout Europe as well as China, Taiwan.

Helen was a finalist in the 1997 Governors Recital Prize for Strings and in July of that year was awarded an Associateship of the Royal College of Music London.

Sample Song List

Classical:

• Bach - Sheep May Safely Graze, Air on a G String
• Bizet - Entracte and Minuet from Carmen
• Debussy - Maid with the Flaxen Hair, Reverie
• Elgar - Salut d'Amour, Chanson de Matin, Nimrod
• Faure - Pavane, Berceuse, Sicilienne
• Gluck - The Dance of the Blessed Spirits
• Gounod - Meditation of 1st Prelude by J.S. Bach (Ave Maria)
• Mascagni - Intermezzo Sinfonico
• Mendellsohn - On Wings of Song
• Mozart - Andante in C and Romance from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
• Pachelbel - Canon in D
• Puccini - Oh Mio Babbino Caro
• Ravel - Pavane pour une infante defunte
• Saint-Saens - The Swan
• Satie - Trois Gymnopedies
• Schubert - Ave Maria
• Von Flotow - The Last Rose of Summer

Popular Music:

• Lloyd Webber - Don't Cry for me Argentina
• Knopfler - Going Home (Theme Tune to Local Hero)
• De Vorzan - Nadia's Theme from the Young and Restless
• Mancini - Moon River
• Denver - Annie's Song
• MacDowell - To a Wild Rose
• Galway - Spanish Love Song

Traditional Music:

• Afton Water,
• Alasdair the Dane
• Annie Laurie
• Brian Boru's March
• Cradle Song
• Flow Gently Sweet Afton
• Greensleeves
• Kintail Lullaby
• Loch Lomond
• Londonderry Air
• Mhorag Bheag
• Oh My Love is Like a Red Red Rose
• The Rising of the Lark
• Wild Mountain Thyme
• Ye Banks and Braes