Anne Lindsay is one of Canada’s top classically trained violinists who has branched out into many other musical genres. She has established herself as one of the most engaging and versatile instrumentalists in Canada, adapting her unique violin/ fiddle style to the eclectic sounds and musical languages of the country’s rich cultural texture. Currently composing, performing and recording with her own band, Anne is also a much sought after side person, composer, arranger and background vocalist, performing with some of Canada’s top musical acts: Blue Rodeo, John McDermott and the upcoming production of The Lord of the Rings.
Anne began her musical studies at the age of five, specializing in violin, piano and voice. A graduate of York University, Toronto (BFA Special Honors Music), the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto and the Banff Center, Alberta, she received many awards and scholarships during the course of her training.
The singular voice of Anne Lindsay as a violinist and composer has already gained attention. With her excellent training, technique and experience Anne is in a very fortunate position to stretch musical boundaries and mix new approaches with old. Her fluency in a wealth of styles is evident in her wide-ranging repertoire, encompassing jazz, rock, classical, country, old-time fiddle, Celtic, Cajun, Klezmer and the recent addition of two new Scandinavian fiddles, the Finnish jouhikko and the Swedish nyckelharpa.
Anne has performed and recorded with many major artists (Blue Rodeo, The Chieftains, Led Zeppelin, Roger Daltry, Dionne Warwick and Natalie McMaster) in a variety of settings; bands, chamber ensembles, orchestras, in the studio and on stage in well known concert venues across Canada and the U.S. Anne has also composed and performed music for documentary film scores, stage productions, radio and television commercials and has written string and horn arrangements for Blue Rodeo, Scott Merritt and her own recordings.
Anne’s original compositions are hybrid fiddle tunes, combining a warm roots feel with sophisticated rhythmic and harmonic sensibilities. Audiences across the country have been delighted by Anne’s innovative music, drawn from a palette of heartfelt ballads, hot club jazz, South Indian Karnatak, various root and folk styles and rocking fiddle driven grooves.
Her debut CD ‘EAVESDROPPING’ has received generous airplay nationwide on CBC (The Vinyl Café, Disc Drive, Richardson’s Roundup, Fresh Air) and campus radio stations. Festival Distribution and Maple Music distribute it in Canada. . The production of this CD was enabled by an Ontario Arts Council Popular Music recording grant and has been receiving rave reviews since it’s release in April 2002.
Anne’s sophomore CD “News From Up The Street” will be released in the fall of 2006. Co-produced by Oliver Schroer, it features her wonderful band: Colleen Allen-saxophones, Al Cross–drums, Jason Fowler–guitar, David Woodhead–bass and continues to creatively explore and experiment with the diversity of musical ideas, idioms, dialects, patterns, rhythms and melodies that influence Anne. The production of this CD was also enabled by an Ontario Arts Council Popular Music recording grant.
Anne's playing is incomparably expressive, capturing the violin's unique ability to sing like the human voice. With her innovative, yet down to earth compositions, Anne and her violin sing in a universal language.
