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biography
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My name is Brendyn Montgomery of Castle Hill, Canterbury, New Zealand.
I play traditional Irish music on the wooden flute, tin whistle and fiddle.
People often wonder how Irish music has taken control of a lad from southern New Zealand,
about as far away as you can get from Ireland with out leaving the planet. It is something
that I have often puzzelled over myself. The answer is that by means unknown to me the
folk scene in New Zealand discovered the Irish music revival of the 1960's and 70's
and many of the great albums of this period were to be found in homes around the country.
My parents being folkies, I was brought up playing at folk music festivals and listening
to the very best of recorded Irish music. This musicial influence included Planxty,
The Bothy Band, Andy Irvine and Paul Brady, Seamus Creagh, Jackie Daly and Kevin Burke.
There was an early disasterous foray into the world of fiddle playing
(prompted by an ultimatum: learn a musical instrument or join the boy scouts) at the age
when most children are visited by the knowledge fairy (that marvelous gift bestowed upon
most 10 yr old children where by they know they everything). Upon waking up one morning
at the age of 12 and realising (truthfully this time) that I was shite I promtly gave up.
A musical wilderness followed and it wasn't until my late teens when my friends
discovered this fantastic new thing, a "F-O-L-K F-E-S-T-I-V-A-L", that I realised that
there was no escape from Irish Music. A frantic time ensued, in which I attempted
to make up for lost years and played constantly and gravitated naturally to the flute
having never played one before. A procession of gifted musicians passed through New Zealand
on holiday around this time and many were deviously co-opted into teaching and sharing tunes.
Of these by no means the least was Darren Hurley, whom New Zealand still remembers with
mixed emotion (most of us with great fondness) but without whom I would not have started
down the roads now travelled.
Upon comencing University I became a member of the long-standing Dunedin band Blackthorn,
which was in existence for ten years and was also a member of its successor, Marannan.
Marannan wound up in 2002 after several of us left to persue new projects.
During this time I was also was involved in several other projects; I recorded an album with
Dunedin singer/songwriter Kay Row.
"Brendyn is a Celtic musician of some standing, here playing the tin whistle and the incomparable wooden flute"
(NZ Musician, December/January 2001, review of Ancient tears by Kay Row)
I also recorded on Bob McNeill's CD, Covenant. This album won the New Zealand music
industries "Best Folk Album of the Year 2001" award. I was briefly a flute soloist with the
Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, for a Celtic inspired piece, Landfall, written by Ewan Clarke.
Landfall was the winner of a competition run by the Dunedin City Council in 1998 for a
piece of music to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the city. My own composition was
placed second equal in this competition.
During this time I took on new influences such as recordings of Dervish (I spent some time
with their former fiddle player Shane McAleer), Paul McGratten, Conal O'Grada, Harry Bradley,
John Carty, Declan Folan and many others.
At the Beginning of 2002 I decided to leave Dunedin in order to prepare for a bid to be accepted
into a masters in traditonal music performance at the University of Limerick. After successfully
auditioning I had a golden period in Motetuka ostensiably picking apples, but in reality having
the time of my life. This flowed comfortably into a recording project with the inimatable Mike
Considine (bouzouki). My debut solo CD "Mountain Air" was released in September of 2002. Mountain
Air has met with some success and reviewers have had these comments.....
"It's something to marvel at: brilliant, bright, engaging music, played lovingly by kindred souls"
The Dominion Post, March 2003
"Mountain Air is unquestionably buoyed by Montgomery’s feeling for wide open spaces and a healthy respect for silence."
The Irish Times, January 2003
"Highly competent traditional flute/whistle/bouzouki playing from New Zealand duo"
Folk Roots, March 2003
Having now completed the M.A. that took me to Ireland (find out more follow this link )
I have returned to New Zealand to play, teach, promote and live the music. I am looking to
renewing my old musical partnership with bouzouki player and singer/song writer Bob McNeill
and also with Mike Considine as I look for performance opportunites both within New Zealand and overseas.
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Press resources
Castle Hill Village
Private Bag 55037
Canbterbury 8020
New Zealand
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Turn
the Diesels - June 2004
Bob McNeill's eagerly awaited second album
Mountain
Air - September 2002
My Debut solo recording, with Mike Considine
Covenant
- Bob McNeill - March 2001
Two tracks on this award winning album
Ancient Tears
- Kay Row - May 2000
a number of tracks of flute backing for Kay's songs
Marannan - September 1999
Debut recording of the band Marannan. Out of print
For more information see the Albums page
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Ceili House, RTE radio, Ireland,
May 2003
With students of the IWMC, Limerick, Ireland
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National Folk Festival, Canberra,
Australia - 2004
Concert with Cristy O'Leary, Burt Divert, Davy Stuart
and Helen Webby
Three Concerts with "The Frank Murphy Flute Assualt"
Kei Ko Na Te Me te Wairua, Rotorua, New Zealand -
2004
5 Concerts with Bob McNeill
Workshops
Auckland Folk Festival, New Zealand - 2004
Concert with 1 Tui trio
Wellington Folk Festival, New Zealand - 2003
Two Concerts with Bob McNeill and the Celtic Collection
A workshop with Bob McNeill on playing together
Shennaghys Jiu, Ramsey, The Isle of Mann - 2003
Five concerts with Corragh
Whare Flat Folk Festival, Dunedin, New Zealand -
2001/2002
Two concerts with Marannan
Workshop on whistle ornamentation
Tune learning Workshop
Cardrona Folk Festival, Wanaka, New Zealand - 2001
Two concerts with Marannan
Whitestone Winter Festival, Herbert, New Zealand
- 2000
One concert with Marannan
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McNeill & Montgomery
2002 - Current
Marannan 1999-2002
Mara 1999
Blackthorn 1997-1999
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