Kieran McCrossan
Classical Guitarist | Arranger | Tutor | Collaborator
Biography
Kieran McCrossan is a classical guitarist originally from Kirkcaldy, Fife, now based in Edinburgh. McCrossan graduated from Edinburgh Napier University in 2025 with a Master of Arts in Music with Distinction, where he also obtained his BMus(Hons) in 2023. During his studies, he was mentored by renowned Scottish virtuoso classical guitarist and composer, Simon Thacker.
Primarily situated in contemporary classical music, McCrossan is committed to performing and promoting the work of Scottish and contemporary composers. Performance highlights include a successful solo concert series at the beginning of 2024 showcasing Scottish composers Brandon Walker, Edward McGuire, Kenneth Dempster and Stephen James Hamilton; organsing a concert dedicated to the solo and chamber music of Scottish composer Edward McGuire; participating in a concert devoted to the music of Scottish composer and classical guitarist Brandon Walker; and performing in the premieres of approximately thirty new works from Scottish composers, over half of which were written for him.
Working with living composers, McCrossan's Master of Arts project culminated in For the Composer: A Compositonal Aid for the Classical Guitar — one of the first comprehensive compositional resources specifically tailored to, readily available for, and easily accessible to composers seeking support throughout the compositional process for the classical guitar.
In the persuit of promoting and sharing contempoary Scottish classical music and its composers, McCrossan signed with Bergmann Edition in 2024, a publisher dedicated to classical guitar music. This led to the publication of a range of chamber music arrangements, notably including works by the Scottish composer Edward McGuire.
Equally commited to chamber music, McCrossan plays alongside flautist Lynn Fraser as part of the Bruadar Duo, tenor Stuary Murray Michell and soprano Chiara McGlynn as part of Òrain Ùra, and classical guitarists Brandon Walker, Keith Murray, and Ciaran Cortes as part of The Walker Ensemble. Each ensemble was formed to explore, perform, and promote contemporary and new music from Scotland and beyond which has seen multiple tours of Scotland, playing in some of the most beautiful and prestigious venues in the country. Each ensemble has premiered music written for them, including music from Scottish composers Brandon Walker, Bruce Fraser, Edward McGuire, Gordon Ferries, and Kenneth Dempster, while also writting and premiering many of their own arrangements.
Most recently, McCrossan performed with the Hoolan Ensemble for their newest project, Divded Nations. The project aimed to highlight the importance of connection and was very much a golbal collaboration. Working with five composers from Iran, Lebanon, Sweden, France, and the USA, the compositons explore themes of mutal tolerance, alienation in a digital age, the stuggles of keeping Kalymak culture alive, a sonic representation of the difference ethnic groups living in Lebanon, and lived experience of how dictators atomise communities to take power.
Just the year previous in 2024 saw their tour across Scotland and North England performing Le Regard, a double screening of female-directed surrealist films accompanied live by new experimental scores composed by Nancy Johnstone and Niall Docherty. Le Regard aimed to spotlight the forgotten female pioneers of early cinema whilst using this history to create fresh, unusual works of contemporary music and film.
Works Written For & Premiered by Kieran
Solo
Four Byron Sketches: I, Oft I Have Dreamed Of Thee, II. And Yet How Lovely In Thine Age Of Woe, III. There Is A Very Life In Our Despair, IV. The Moon Is Up And Yet It Is Not Night by Gordon Ferries - Written for 2025. Premiere to come.
Dance Suite: I. Waltz, II. Pavane, III. Jig, IV. Baris Dance by Stuart Murray Mitchell - Written for 2025. Premiere to come.
mossy rocks catch the sea by Nancy Johnstone - Written for 2025. Premiere to come.
Whispers Beneath The Stars by Tommy Fowler - Written for 2025. Premiere to come.
Study in E - After Villa-Lobos by Andrew James Williams - Premiered August 2024.
Lost In Venice by Brandon Walker - Written for & Premiered March 2024.
The Ravens of Achray (Revised Version) by Brandon Walker - Premiered March 2024.
Aelia Aeliana by Kenneth Dempster - Written for & Premiered March 2024.
Duo
Three Songs of Experience by Gordon Ferries - Tenor & Guitar, with Òrain Ùra - Premiered January 2026
Sombras de Junio by Brandon Walker - Guitar Duo, with Brandon Walker - Written for & Premiered August 2025.
Castle Gordon by Edward McGuire - Soprano & Guitar, with Òrain Ùra - Arranged by McCrossan & Premiered August 2025.
Death by Water by Gordon Ferries - Soprano & Guitar, with Òrain Ùra - Premiered March 2025.
Fingal's Cave by Edward McGuire - Piccolo & Guitar, with Amy McColl - Arranged by McCrossan & Premiered November 2024.
Dancing Memories by Edward McGuire - Flute & Guitar - Arranged by composer for Bruadar Duo & premiered August 2024.
Caprice by Edward McGuire - Flute & Guitar - Arranged by McCrossan & Premiered August 2024.
The Glass Nocturne by Brandon Walker - Flute & Guitar - Written for Bruadar Duo & Premiered August 2024.
Two Hearts Beating by Kenneth Dempster - Flute & Guitar - Arranged by Composer for Bruadar Duo & Premiered August 2022.
Rhapsody for Trombone by Bruce Fraser - Flute & Guitar - Arranged by Bruadar Duo & Premiered August 2019.
Trio
Por El Mar by Brandon Walker - Guitar Trio, with Brandon Walker and Keith Murray - Written for & Premiered March 2025.
Quartet
Carga Negra: I. Pulse, II. A tientas, III. A la buena by Brandon Walker - Guitar Quartet with Flute (II), with Brandon Walker, Keith Murry, Ciaran Cortes, and Lynn Fraser (Flute) - Written for & Premiered October 2025.
Por El Mar by Brandon Walker - Guitar Quartet, with Brandon Walker, Keith Murray, and Ciaran Cortes - Written for & Premiered October 2025.
Ensemble
An Alien World by Erik Skold - Hoolan Ensemble, with, Molly Sellors (Oboe), Valeriia Nezhurbida (Flute), and Christopher Lo (Saxophone) - Written for & Premiered September 2025.
A Deep Breath Between Two Bullets by Mahdis Golzar Kashani - Hoolan Ensemble, with, Molly Sellors (Oboe), Valeriia Nezhurbida (Flute), and Christopher Lo (Saxophone) - Written for & Premiered September 2025.
Dialogue by Wajdi Abou Diab - Hoolan Ensemble, with, Molly Sellors (Oboe), Valeriia Nezhurbida (Flute), and Christopher Lo (Saxophone) - Written for & Premiered September 2025.
Dieu Seul Ne Le Sait by Francis Kayali - Hoolan Ensemble, with, Molly Sellors (Oboe), Valeriia Nezhurbida (Flute), and Christopher Lo (Saxophone) - Written for & Premiered September 2025.
My Beloved by Nicole Balsirow - Hoolan Ensemble, with, Molly Sellors (Oboe), Valeriia Nezhurbida (Flute), and Christopher Lo (Saxophone) - Written for & Premiered September 2025.
Foreign Body by Nancy Johnstone - Hoolan Ensemble, with, Molly Sellors (Oboe), Amy Wood (Flute), and Christopher Lo (Saxophone) - Written for & Premiered September 2025.
Le Regard by Niall Docherty - Hoolan Ensemble, with, Molly Sellors (Oboe), Amy Wood (Flute), and Christopher Lo (Saxophone) - Written for & Premiered September 2024.