Troy MacGillivray
"Musical Ties"
Released July 13, 2001
Trolleymac Music (Independent Release)
CD ID = TROLLEY-01

Throughout Nova Scotia, everyone has musical ties to someone. Antigonish's Troy MacGillivray's family background is no exception. His late grandfather is Hugh A. MacDonald, one of the first to record Scottish Fiddle Music, back in the 1930's. His grandmother is Winnie MacDonald, a noted pianist who used to accompany her husband. Troy's sister Kendra is a well-known fiddler and his other sister Sabra is a noted highland dancer and bodhran player. It's no wonder then that his long-awaited debut CD is called "Musical Ties."

Troy's nimble fingers bring to life traditional piano and fiddle music from Nova Scotia. This Celtic musician started stepdancing at age six, playing the piano when he was seven and the fiddle at age ten. There was always music in the house, from Troy's parents, sisters and visiting musicians, so it is no wonder that Troy is pursuing a musical career. The 14 sets of tunes on "Musical Ties" bridge the old and new music that Troy was brought up with.

Troy composed his first two tunes "Musical Ties" and "Cool Cuts" when he was 10 "because I wanted to try writing a tune or two" and these are included on the CD. These certainly show maturity way beyond the age of the composer. A couple of more recent compositions of Troy's are also included, in the form of two reels. Other composers featured on Troy's CD include: J.S. Skinner, Dan R. MacDonald, Raymond Ellis, Glenn Graham, Hilda Chiasson, Garcon Volange, John McGlashan, Angus Chisholm, Alexander Walker, John Niven, Winnie MacDonald and Sandy MacIntyre.

Troy is a very well respected musician in the Nova Scotia music community. His peers show their respect for him by joining him on "Musical Ties." Some of these musicians include Troy's parents Janice & Tony, Troy's sisters Kendra & Sabra, John Allan Cameron, Tracey Dares, Scott Ferguson, Matthew Foulds, Jamie Gatti, Gordie Sampson, Dave MacIsaac and Mac Morin. Certainly a very high calibre list for additional musicians.

Troy's chording and accompaniment techniques are hard to come by. His fingers fly across the keys, faster than you can blink. Troy has been seen as a backup musician for many years as he has accompanied his fiddler sister Kendra since he was 10 years old. However, he can certainly stand on his own and this CD is certainly a reflection of this.

Troy's talents, however, have not gone unnoticed by other musicians, which is why he is often being called upon to perform with them. These include Patricia Murray, John Allan Cameron, Glenn Graham, Wendy MacIsaac and Dave MacIsaac, just to name a few.

With all of this performing as well as teaching music in Antigonish, Troy still manages to find time to fit school in. He is finishing up his last year of a music degree at St. Francis Xavier University. As you can see, music is very much a part of Troy's life. He says, "I'd have to be pretty sick to miss a day without tunes."

"Musical Ties" starts off on a very lively note, with "Frank Gilruth" by J.S. Skinner. Troy doesn't waste any time to start the tunes...there is not even an intro to this tune. A couple of clogs and hornpipes introduce the listener to Troy's piano stylings. Dave MacIsaac's guitar playing starts off track 2, leading into the piano for the traditional strathspey "Perthshire Volunteers," followed by the popular Dan R. MacDonald tune "Trip to Windsor." Another reel and hornpipe follow these two tunes.

Three jigs are included on track 3..."Murray the Woodcarver," "Miss Anderson" and "Jack's Hall." I find this set has a nice light feeling to it. Troy says that the set of tunes on track 4 "especially fits the 'Musical Ties' theme because my parents appear on piano and guitar. We recorded this set in one take on my dad's lunch break." A march, hornpipe and two reels are included in this traditional set.

Not only can Troy play at lightening fast speed but he can also slow the pace down as exemplified on track 5 with the beautiful pastoral air by Neil Gow called "Robert Cormack of Aberdeen." The spotlight on this tune is just on the piano. This is a tune that Troy first heard played by Dwayne Cote, when he was just starting to play piano at age 10. A tear-jerker tune this is.

Traditional tunes and a Skinner tune comprise track 6. Troy's piano is complemented by Dave MacIsaac's guitar for some strathspeys and reels. Some fancy drumwork by Matt Foulds introduces track 7, which begins with a composition of Troy's called "The Grand Piano" written in 2000. This is a lively reel, followed by two more. Gordie Sampson and Jamie Gatti are featured on guitar and bass respectively on this tune.

Legendary Celtic musician John Allan Cameron joins Troy on track 8. "These three tunes are typical of the John Allan style," Troy says "and it seemed fitting to have him sit in for this set." The set features compositions by Glenn Graham and Hilda Chiasson, two very well-respected musicians in Cape Breton.

Another slow air brings the pace down a few notches for some relaxation on track 9. "The Lone Highland Glen" is a Gaelic song composed in 1928 as a tribute to the Highland Strathspey and Reel Society of Inverness, Scotland. Troy certainly does this tune justice with his light playing style. The pace of the CD is brought back up a step on track 10 with a couple more of Troy's compositions from February 2000 in the form of reels. Again, Dave and Troy are the featured musicians.

Track 11 continues with another set of jigs...this time featuring Troy on fiddle. Mac Morin backs up on piano and Dave MacIsaac on guitar. Troy is just as lively on fiddle as on piano and he brings these tunes to a new life. Track 12 is a selection of tunes that were often played by Troy's late grandfather Hugh A. MacDonald in the 1930's. Troy is joined by his sister Kendra for a twin fiddle set, which is very much a part of their live show. These tunes take on a life of their own in the hands of these talented siblings. Their grandfather would be very proud indeed I'm sure!

Nearing the end of the CD, Troy brings out his first two compositions, written when he was 10 years old. The tunes are introduced and complemented by Troy's sister Sabra's stepdancing. Sabra is a champion highland dancer as well as a noted stepdancer, who choreographs her own routines...no shortage of talent in this family!

"Musical Ties" ends with a big blast of tunes, featuring a piano duet with Troy and Tracey Dares, a noted pianist from Cape Breton. Guitarist Gordie Sampson rounds out the musicians on this track. Two clogs and three reels are part of this set including a composition by Troy's grandmother Winnie MacDonald called appropriately "A Tune for Troy." One of Troy's favourite tunes, "Devil and the Dirk" by J.S. Skinner, finishes off the CD.

"Musical Ties" shows off the wealth of talent Troy MacGillivray possesses at a young age. The future looks very bright indeed for this Antigonish musician!