colin grant

Raised in Toronto, Colin began his musical career at the age of four at the Royal Conservatory of Music, studying classical violin in the Suzuki program. By the age of 10, he began to explore Cape Breton-style traditional music, taking lessons from Sandy MacIntyre, and at the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts, studying piano accompaniment and stepdancing in addition to the fiddle.

When his family moved to Cape Breton in 1998, Colin immersed himself in the local music scene, taking lessons in fiddle and guitar from acclaimed musician and teacher Allie Bennett as well as performing at ceilidhs, dances, and concerts all over the island. He soon developed his own style of playing; his clean, lively sound proving versatile in venues as diverse as the West Mabou dance hall and the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay.

Always comfortable before a live audience, Colin never declines an opportunity to take to the stage; whether being accompaniment for other musicians like ECMA nominee Luc Tardif, or giving an energetic solo performance. Starting in the summer of 2002, he was cast in Cape Breton Lyrics & Laughter; over the past six summers, the show has been winning rave reviews from local critics and visitors alike through close to 300 performances at the Louisbourg Playhouse.

In 2003 he was accepted into the National Artists Program (Canada), which brought together young performers and fine artists to produce a gala show at the Jeux Canada Games in Bathurst, New Brunswick. In addition to his performances all over the Maritime Provinces, Colin was part of a group that toured Scotland and had the opportunity to bring Cape Breton music to Indonesia for the Canadian International Seafood Festival in April of 2004, hosting several concerts and conducting workshops at the Jakarta Performing Arts Institute. He has also performed in such varied locations as China and France with the Acadian group, Blou.

Colin's self-titled CD release on October 8, 2006, has been his most ambitious project to date. The disc was released in concert with the Celtic Colours Drive 'ers Assocation, and was nominated in 2007 for an East Coast Music Award in the Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the Year category.

He is currently juggling music with his university studies, and will be heading to France this fall to complete his Bachelor of Education degree. With his respect for the traditional sound of Cape Breton fiddle music and his innovative approach to arranging and composing tunes, Colin's musical style will continue to develop and progress to the delight of audiences from all over the world.