Anna Esslemont
Anna Esslemont has been playing the violin for a long time, and it shows.

"…she is one amazing fiddle player, moving from classical, to folk, to world scales, with distinct and utter well practiced ease. She moves those fingers so fast if you blinked you'd miss it."
- Quay Arts Centre, Isle of Wight

Anna began learning the violin aged 6, and soon found herself progressing quickly through the usual classical processes.

The folk music influences in Anna's life became apparent in her teen years, and she began playing and singing in sessions and various local bands in Mid Wales. During this time Anna also helped out as part time tutor of children's band Sox, a community project in Newtown lead by Kitty Greenwood.

Anna left Wales to attend the Royal Northern College of Music in 2001 to study classical violin, where she met Cormac Byrne, and ironically began to feel more and more drawn towards world and folk music. The pair formed Uiscedwr that year and after struggling with the pressure of college commitments versus folk ideals, she left the Royal Northern to pursue her dreams of playing the fiddle. No less than a month later, the Daily Telegraph described her as being a "startlingly versatile fiddler," and after winning the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award with Uiscedwr she knew she'd made the right choice in leaving the classical regime.

Uiscedwr's debut album received widespread acclaim and landed the trio a nomination for the Horizon award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Shortly after this, Anna was awarded a PRS Foundation Atom Award for her music writing.

In 2005 Anna was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease, which meant taking time out from gigging, ("which I hated more than anything!" - Anna) while she underwent a year of heavy treatment. Despite Anna's ongoing battle with the illness, Uiscedwr released their highly anticipated second album in 2006 to much applause and gigged up and down the country - including spots at Cropredy Festival, Solfest, Towersey Village Festival and the Oysterband's Big Session.

Anna loves teaching, and is a visiting tutor at Farncombe Estate Education Centre, where she runs weekend fiddle courses. In 2006 Anna was privileged to teach alongside Joe Broughton on his popular Fiddle School at the Birmingham Conservatoire.

In December 2006 Anna had a successful bone marrow transplant in Leeds. Since recovering Anna is back on the road with Uiscedwr and has just recorded with rock supergroup New Model Army on their new album, which is due out soon. She is also currently working on some new projects with the legendary and fabulous Karen Tweed.

Booking enquiries:
Iconic Music
Tel: +44(0) 1926 632 946
Email: info@iconicmusic.com

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