Malin Lewis

Malin Lewis is a queer bagpiper, fiddler, instrument maker and award-winning composer. One of Scotland’s most exciting innovators, Malin melds tradition with electronics on a unique self-made bagpipe. Hair-tingling, philosophical and dance-inducing melodies inspired by European folk traditions, humans, queerness and the universe. Malin premiered their New Voices commission ‘Halocline’ with a seven-piece band at Celtic Connections 2023 to a sold-out Strathclyde Suite, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Halocline will become Malin’s long-awaited debut album named for the layer between salt and fresh water. Halocline is a sequence of compositions reflecting on the liminal spaces between Malin’s outer and inner worlds as a trans person. Malin’s unique sound is born from the deep connection that comes with making and composing for their own instrument. The band will perform original music from Halocline as well as traditional music from Finland, Spain and Bulgaria. Recently Malin has been touring with Making Tracks international residency, recording film music in Berlin, learning the tradition of the extinct Finnish Bagpipes, writing music for contemporary dance at Sadlers Wells and working as musical director and composer for ‘The strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart’ at the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre. “A cutting edge creator” – Tom Service, BBC Radio 3 “The future of Scottish folk is here” – The Wire Magazine “Re-Defining the music of tomorrow” – Finlay MacDonald, PipingLive