Virtually conducted album to be launched by young musician

A young Shetland musician is to launch a debut album of computer-composed orchestral and piano music at Bonhoga Gallery next week.

Eamonn Watt, a Shetland College NC music student, has written Virtually Conducted 1: Bonhoga as part of a course project.

Eamonn, from Sandwick, has been playing drums in local bands for a number of years but also, more unusually, has developed a passion for using computer software to compose symphonic scores.

He said: “While being a bit nervous, I really cannot wait to introduce my debut album to the people of Shetland. I’ve been composing with software since Advanced Higher and it has continued to develop up to the point where I will now be releasing this CD. I hope that my compositions will make a good impression on people and I look forward to seeing everyone at the CD launch at the Bonhoga Gallery.”

Recently Eamonn was contracted to compose music for a BBC Learning short film. He composed two tracks: a song in Moroccan style and an orchestral composition inspired by Scottish melodies called The Raconteur. The latter will also appear on his album.

Bryan Peterson, music development officer at Shetland Arts and lecturer on the NC Music course, said: “Eamonn wrote, recorded and mixed the album himself as part of a college project, an amazing achievement given the complexity of his compositions. It’s fantastic for a young Shetland composer at an early stage of their career to be producing music for the BBC. A future as a composer bodes well for Eamonn.”

Eamonn will be continuing his studies as one of the first intake of the new Shetland College HNC music students based in Mareel later this year.

The launch party will be held in Bonhoga Gallery next Wednesday from 7.30-9.30pm. Entry is free and light refreshments will be available.