Album Notes

Brandon Vance of Anacortes, WA is as comfortable with jazz improvisation as he is in his Classical violin repertoire. He is also a two-time Open - U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion (1999 & 2001). At age 14 he is the youngest to ever hold the National title. He was honored by the 56th Washington State legislature with a House resolution for "Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Music."

Brandon has played with numerous Celtic/Jazz bands and individual performers such as: Alasdair Fraser, Johnny Cunningham, The McKassons, Hanneke Cassel, Carl Peterson, Men of Worth, Blackthorn, Clumsy Lovers, Off Kilter, Maggie's Fury, Frankly Moanin' and his own band ... Talisker.

He was a guest soloist for the 2001 Los Angeles Scottish Fiddle Orchestra's 20th Anniversary concert, the 2002 Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival's 5th Anniversary, and has performed the "Celtic Mass for the Sea" with the Orcas Island Choral Society/Chamber Orchestra. Brandon has been a popular fixture at the Pacific Northwest Folklife Festival for several years. He has soloed with local northwest symphony orchestras, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra. Brandon also performed as a member of the Zephyr International Music Festival, the Barbaresco Classica International Music Festival in Italy, and received a Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival.

He is a "Starling Scholar" graduate of the Seattle Conservatory of Music. Brandon has served as Assistant-Concertmaster for the Seattle Youth Symphony. He was also an original member of the NW MacGregor Pipe Band and, while no longer active, he still keeps up his piping.

In May 2004 he released his first CD with Mark Minkler ... Beyond the Borders. This is a compilation of original Celtic style tunes written by both Brandon and Mark, along with traditional Scottish and Irish tunes.

Brandon attends Cleveland Institute of Music, majoring in Violin Performance and studies under Mr. Paul Kantor.



Mark Minkler is a talented multi-instrumentalist and a veteran of the NW music scene. Playing piano, guitar, flute, saxophone, trumpet and whistle, he has performed with fiddlers Brandon Vance, Randal Bays, George Wilson, Kevin Carr, Joel Bernstein, Susan Burke, Ed Pearlman, Tim Brown, and Calum Mackinnon, and singers Alison Post, Julie Mainstone, Erin Corday, and Stanley Greenthal. Mark teaches DADGAD guitar, piano, flute and whistle in Irish and Scottish styles at music camps and privately. He has composed many Celtic style tunes that also have jazz and classical influences. His current collaboration with Scottish fiddle champion Brandon Vance has produced a wonderful CD that shows the variety of these influences.