Music and Edinburgh Napier
Napier University has a rich musical heritage. The university has also helped to nurture a wide array of major Scottish talent.
The Music department is noted for its range of approaches to the study of Music. Professor Zach Moir a jazz musician and improvisor, researched cochlear implants for his PhD. He researches popular music education. Dr Paul Harkins has experience working for the PRS (responsible for licensing and collecting royalties for songwriters). And has written an acclaimed study of the history of Digital Sampling. On top of this, the university also has a strong Jazz tradition. Holds the Scottish Jazz Archive in its collections.
Music Alum at Edinburgh Napier
As with its teachers, so it is with its students. Some have also branched out into music promotion. Putting on their own concerts. And making an impact in the Scottish music scene. Here is a small selection of Napier alumni. Annie Booth is a Scottish indie rock singer-songwriter and Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) awards nominee. Making waves in the early aughts, Conquering Animal Sound (Jamie Scott and Anneke Kampman) produced complex electronic pop. She earned a SAY awards nomination for their second album On Floating Bodies, released on the legendary Scottish indie label Chemikal Underground. ½ of CAS, Jamie Scott has branched into alternative rap (e.g CARBS, with Johnnie Common), and is a core part of the SAVE AS collective. Another SAY award nominee and Napier graduate is Becky Sikasa, a singer-songwriter who produces sharp, intelligent contemporary pop music. More recently, Napier alumnus Josh Mannie – under his moniker Barry Can’t Swim – has been nominated for both the BRIT awards and Mercury Music Prize in 2024. His ebullient dance pop has earned plaudits far and wide.
Euan Lyons, drums in the DIY punk/metal band Dead Pony, whilst another Napier graduate – cellist Graham Coe – is a core member of Edinburgh’s Tinderbox
Orchestra, known for their wide range of performed material across generic boundaries (and also within libraries). They also regularly work in a community music context, committed to increasing access to music regardless of material barriers – one of their initiatives is facilitating instrument lending in our local library system.
Last, but certainly not least, is Anna Meredith. An electronic music artist as well as film music composer, Anna was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2020 for her album Fibs. In recognition of her achievements in music, she was granted an honorary doctorate from Napier in 2022.
By Kieran Curran
Grove Music is one of our biggest databases at the library, for more information, we have a blog post
