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ceòl traidseanta │ trad & folk
Born into an Irish Diaspora family, Marcas got his first-footing into traditional music his maternal grandparents' kitchen table in Skipton. learning the songs of his dual Yorkshire and Irish heritage. On his father's side his grandmother was also a fine singe and early memories are of her guiding his fingers across the keyboard, marking out the melody of 'The Raggle Taggle Gypsies'.
Marcas' musical upbringing continued via the school system, singing in youth choirs and playing in youth orchestras. As a teenager, he lead a band, Opium, alongside fellow Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Tym Wylie, and it was together that they explored their first foray into songwriting.
Marcas was a Mòd Gold Medal Finalist in 2016 in 2021 and a Traditional Gold Medal Finalist in 2019, where he sang his own lyrics - Grioglachan - to popular acclaim, despite challenging the notions of what traditional Gaelic singing is in the contemporary era.
He regularly performs at cèilidhs and events, often combining traditional singing with poetry and a regular performer, programmer and host with the Edinburgh-based seminal arts collective - The Heretics.
Còisirean Gàidhlig │ Gaelic Choirs
After graduating with two degrees and - more importantly - Gold Card fluency in Gaelic, Marcas embarked on a longtime association with the Gaelic Choirs of Scotland. First, in Glasgow, with Govan Gaelic Choir, then latterly with Inverness Gaelic Choir, where he and former musical director Mary Ann Kennedy pioneered their groundbreaking 'Ainneamhag' collaboration.
Home to roost in Edinburgh, Marcas is now one of the Gaelic tutors and tenor soloists with Lothian Gaelic Choir, co-led by Angus Tully and Jackie Cotter. Alongside fellow Gaelic Guru Dr. Stewart Macleod, Marcas was nominated for a National Gaelic Award, for services to Gaelic Education. The choir took home the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield at the Royal National Mòd in 2018.
Srùbag
During the lock-down brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Marcas, like many singers was faced with the mute button, unable to sing in public. It was then he was approached by fellow singer and Lothian Gaelic Choir chorister, Linn Phipps, to collaborate on a new online venture, bringing singers from across the Celtic world and beyond together, through a shared love of traiditonal song.
It was then that Srùbag was born, a monthly participatory session run monthly on Zoom, with a featured singer from the Scotland, Ireland or Brittany as guest of honour. The session has been a roaring success with as many as thirty singers logged on at any one time to take part in this celebration of language and music. Whilst Marcas is no-longer a regular host, the monthly sessions continue and Marcas was thrilled to be a featured guest in summer 2022.