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With a diverse line-up from Ireland, Scotland, Canada and England, The Outside Track combine music from all their different cultures to form a distinct and dynamic musical sound.  Flute, harp, fiddle, guitar, accordion and vocals combine in expressive, energetic arrangements that deliver traditional music with a modern twist. Song repertoire encompasses both classic ballads and contemporary songwriting, combining tradition with fresh new material. Five-part harmony singing sits alongside sparkling new instrumental sets.  With an average age below 25 the members of the band may be young, but between them they have performing credentials that many veteran bands would wish for.

Ailie Robertson

Ailie Robertson comes from Edinburgh, Scotland, and while brought up playing mainly Scottish music, she has always had a passion for Irish music. She holds an MA in Irish Music Performance from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.

Although just 22 years old, she already has some of the most impressive credentials in the Scottish harp world. A 4-time National Mod Gold Medalist, she was also 1st prizewinner at the inaugural London Harp Competition, and best overall musician at the Edinburgh Competition Festival. In 2000 she was selected to represent Commun na Clarsach for Scotland at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland. This year she was awarded a scholarship from the ESU in recognition of her 'virtuosic clarsach playing', and was also a winner of the St Albans New Roots award. She played in the Scottish Harp Orchestra, Na Clarsairean for many years, performing with them at two World Harp Congresses - in Seattle and Prague.

She has given recitals at events all over Scotland, including performing for HRH the Queen, and being invited to give a private concert to the Lord High Commissioner and his distinguished guests earlier this year. She has played alongside many great Irish and Scottish musicians and this summer supported BBC award winner Karine
Polwart. She has also recently been invited to perform at the 2007 Edinburgh International Harp Festival.

She teaches extensively around the UK and Ireland, and was co-founder and director of the highly successful Borders Harp Weekend. She has tutored for Feisean nan Gaidheal for several years, and teaches privately in schools and colleges across Scotland.

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Norah Rendell

Norah Rendell sings, plays flute and whistle “with a degree of style and sensitivity envied by many”.  Norah has toured extensively as the lead vocalist of UK/Ireland based band, The Outside Track for the past 2 years.  In 2005, Norah was awarded a grant from the Canada Council for Performing Arts to travel to Ireland to study traditional flute and singing.  She has an MA in Irish traditional music from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance where she also lectured in Ear, Notation and Theory, taught flute, whistle, coached singing and instrumental ensembles.  Norah has given guest lectures and workshops at University College Cork in the Irish song tradition. 

Currently based in Minneapolis, Norah is a member of Paddy O’Brien’s Doon Ceili Band and has recently released an album with guitarist, Brian Miller (Gan Bua, Tommie Cunniffe, Doon Ceili Band, 5 Mile Chase) called, “Wait There Pretty One”.

Originally from Vancouver, Norah has been broadcast live nationally on CBC radio with 5 piece Canadian roots band, Cleia.  She has toured throughout BC and Alberta with Cleia, The Maenads and the all female a cappella sensations, The No Shit Shirleys.  Having been a member of the Universal Gospel Choir, Norah earned a reputation for being skilled in creating rich and unexpected vocal harmonies on the spot and has been hired by many singer-songwriters as a back-up singer live and in the studio.

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Fiona Black

From Evanton in the Highlands of Scotland, Fiona began playing music through the feisean movement, participating, then doing ceilidh trails then recently tutoring. She plays piano accordion and fiddle and has now started the flute.

Fiona attended the National Centre of Excellence for two years where she received lessons from Blair Douglass and Iain MacFarlane. She has played throughout Scotland in ceilidh dances, concerts and festivals including Celtic Connections, Celtic Chaos, Tartan Heart Festival and Blas.

She takes influences form many different bands and musicians including Blair Douglas, Iain MacFarlane, Martin Green, Iain MacDonald Karen Tweed, Crooked Still, Phil Cunningham, Donald Shaw, Niall Keegan, Sandra Joyce, Julie Fowlis, Gordon Gunn Karine Polwart, Chris Stout band, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Blazin Fiddles and Harem Scarem.

She is now studying in Limerick doing a BA in Irish Music and Dance. She wishes to continue learning and playing as much music as possible and also would like to become fluent in both Irish and Scots Gaelic.

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Alan Jordan

In addition to being the only male member of The Outside Track, Alan Jordan is the only irish-born member of the band, hailing from Co. Mayo. He is primarily the band's guitarist, however Alan is also a skilled flute and whistle player, and sings in the irish language. He originally trained as a jazz and blues guitarist, and brings some of these influences into the band. He is now in his 3rd year of study for a BA in Irish Music from the Irish Academy of Music and Dance in Limerick.

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Lauren MacColl

Since winning the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award in 2005, Lauren MacColl has gone from strength to strength fronting her trio with Barry Reid (Croft No. 5) and Mhairi Hall. Fiddle led, with the driving combination of piano and guitar, they take you on a musical journey from rousing Highland strathspeys and reels, to emotive Gaelic airs, and their debut record was voted one of Celtic Connections 'Classic
Albums' in 2008.

A highland dancer from the age of 4, MacColl's passion for pipe
music was instilled in her from an early age and is reflected in her repertoire today, and as a trio they have developed a sound which has been described as "Spellbinding... Starkly beautiful." (Taplas Magazine).

Largely self-taught, and through the summer schools of the Feisean movement in Ross-shire, she was immersed in the rich and vibrant culture of her home area whilst brought up on a staple diet of Phil and Aly tapes.

In her relatively short career her playing has taken her far and
wide, and to gig with, amongst others, Calum Stewart, Julie Fowlis, Finlay MacDonald Band, the late, legendary Calum Kennedy and Donald Shaw's Hogmanay Live Harvest band.

While completing her studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Lauren received a Dewar Arts Award to fund the recording of her debut album, released to critical acclaim on her own label (Make Believe Records) in March 2007. The album features her trio with guest Luke Daniels, (accordion) and has met with praise from all corners of the globe. “ An Exquisite Debut!” (Irish Music Magazine, Oct 2007)

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