Laura Rowles

Laura has a first class honours degree in music, specialising in performance and musicology, and a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Liverpool. From 2004-2007 Laura worked at Buchan and King William’s College – first as a peripatetic teacher, and then as Musician in Residence. During this time, she was responsible for introducing Manx Music into the school curriculum, as well as teaching instrumental lessons and conducting various ensembles. Laura has written two books of Manx fiddle music, called Fiddyl, and Fiddyl Vooar for Culture Vannin. These books are currently used by the Isle of Man Music Service as a resource to teach Manx Music to young violinists and violists.

As well as co-owning Mannin Music and The Rock Project – Isle of Man, Laura also runs Mini Musicians. She starting training as a Kodaly kindergarten teacher in 2013 and began running music classes for 0-7 year olds. She has also been fortunate enough to study Colourstrings violin pedagogy with Professor Géza Szilvay.

Laura also performs regularly both on and off the Island, as a soloist and an accompanist. She has performed with Paitchyn Vannin, Shenn Scoill, Ny Jinnyn, and Mooinjerrey. In 2010 Laura was selected as one of the final six fiddlers in the prestigious Amber Fiddle Award. Laura also co-authored and performed a song with David Rowles which won the Pan Celtic Song Competition in Derry in 2014 – the first time the Isle of Man has won this competition since the festival began in 1971.