Uiscedwr Biography

Pronounced "ish-ka-dooer", Uiscedwr is one of the most innovative and exciting young trios on the British folkrock scene.

The band was formed in Manchester by Anna Esslemont and Cormac Byrne. Uiscedwr shot to prominence in 2002 when they won the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award. The following year they played Cambridge Folk Festival. In 2005 they performed at Fairport's Cropredy Convention and were nominated for the Horizon Award at the Radio 2 Folk Awards.

The 2008 Uiscedwr line-up is Anna Esslemont on fiddle and vocals, Cormac Byrne on bodhrán and percussion, and James Hickman on guitar and backing vocals.

During 2005, Anna was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, a rare disorder where bone marrow does not produce sufficient blood cells. Although Anna's treatment has progressed well, her illness cut back on the group's tour schedule and delayed their second album. Anna's treatment has included a bone marrow transplant in 2006. Since being diagnosed, she has worked tirelessly to fundraise for the Aplastic Anaemia Trust and to raise awareness of the importance of blood and bone marrow donation.

In January 2008, Uiscedwr branched out to form the Uiscwedwr Big Band alongside the trio. The ensemble includes Anna and Cormac with Karen Tweed (accordion/vocals), Neil Yates (trumpet/flugelhorn), Dylan Bible (guitar/mandolin), and Nick Waldock (bass). The Uiscedwr Big Band's debut was in January 2008 at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of the Celtic Connections festival.

As a trio, Uiscedwr's contemporary sound lends itself to a wide-ranging repertoire that includes percussive dance numbers, expressive laments, fiddle tunes and carefully-crafted songs.

Members

Brought up in Wales, Anna Esslemont took up the violin when she was six years old. She dropped out of the Royal Northern College of Music to pursue a freer musical style than classical training allowed. Anna's distinctive style of playing mixes expressiveness with dazzling technique.

Cormac Byrne has been a musician since his schooldays. Raised in County Waterford in Ireland, he is widely acknowledged as one of the most exciting and accomplished bodhrán players in the world. Like Anna, he attended the Royal Northern College of Music. As well as touring and recording with Uiscedwr, Cormac has worked with Seth Lakeman and recently gained a BBC Fame Academy Bursary.

James Hickman joined the line-up in 2007, replacing singer/guitarist Kev Dempsey who left Uiscedwr to pursue other projects. James, who grew up in Shropshire, has been playing the guitar and singing from childhood. He studied music at Kidderminster College before joining the band Canvas with whom he toured Ireland where he became interested in Celtic music. James also performs with singer/guitarist Chris Quinn and the duo has supported Jools Holland.