A member of the “Pipes of Christmas” company has been awarded with Scotland’s new “Wedding Entertainer of the Year” award. Jennifer Port, originally from Golspie, Scotland and now residing in Glasgow was voted the overall winner in the entertainment category for the first “Scottish Wedding Awards.”
Harpist Jennifer Port
Brides and grooms were invited to nominate their favorite wedding professionals and then a judging panel chose the winners. Thousands of nominations were received for 18 different categories. The Scottish Wedding Awards were created to allow past brides and grooms, current clients and members of the general public to vote for those professionals who helped “make their big day the best that it can be.”
Jennifer joined the cast of “Pipes of Christmas” in 2003 and has played every year since then. She is most remembered for her beautfil rendition of “Silent Night,” sung in English and Scots Gaelic.
The Clan Currie Society, producers of the Pipes of Christmas salutes Jennifer for this wonderful achievement.
About Jennifer Port
Jennifer Port is originally from Golspie, a Scottish village in the northern county of Sutherland. There she attended school taking her first steps as a musician. Her interest in music was encouraged by a number of people, including her Primary 6 class teacher, Graham McCarthy. Graham first introduced Jennifer to the clarsach (Scottish harp), sparking an interest that has endured throughout her life.
Jennifer Port receives the 2013 Scottish Wedding Award
Playing a variety of instruments, including bass recorder, Jennifer performed in an early music consort called The Cattach Consort. Under the leadership on John & Ruth Whittaker, instructors at Golspie High School, the consort played in variety of venues including the Scots Kirk in Paris.
In addition to specializing in clarsach, Jennifer plays oboe and was the principal oboist in Highland Regional Youth Orchestra (HRYO) from 1995 until1999, conducted by Nigel Boddice and Susan Dingle. During this time, Jennifer also played Cor Anglais in HRYO as required.
Upon completing her school education, Jennifer studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama (known today as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) where she gained a BA (honors) degree in Scottish Music. Brian McNeill, Jennifer’s course director at the Academy, invited Jennifer to perform with him at the prestigious Cambridge Folk Festival and on a tour in Denmark and Germany. Jennifer’s main focus at the RSAMD was clarsach, singing and composition, while gaining valuable teaching and recording studio skills.
During her career Jennifer has won many awards and accolades, most notably the Danny Kyle award at the world famous Celtic Connections Festival and in the same year was a finalist in the BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year. In 2003, Jennifer became the principle clarsach performer and vocal soloist for the “Pipes of Christmas” – an annual celebration of Christmas produced by the Clan Currie Society to fund their music scholarship program.
In 2004 Jennifer was asked to compose a one hour piece for the New Voices series at Celtic Connections festival. Her composition – entitled Silver Lining – performed by Karine Polwart, James Mackintosh, Kevin Henderson, James Ross and Christine Hanson.
Jennifer is now a full time professional musician, performing throughout Scotland, the UK and abroad. She is also the Convener of the of the Clarsach Society and has been a member since the age of 11. She regularly teaches pupils attending the Glasgow branch of the Society.
Established in 1931, the Clarsach Society was formed to promote the clarsach and its music in Scotland and in the wider harp community. To encourage original music for the clarsach, the annual Young Composer Award has been established by the Society, the prize includes a cash award and premier performance at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival.
The Clan Currie Society is also a strong supporter of the clarsach. The Society’s William McMurdo Currie Memorial Scholarship for the Clarsach is awarded annually to a student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. The Society is also the Title Sponsor of the Scottish Harp Society of America’s National Championship.
Jennifer Port (center) in performance