single of the week - bbc Radio scotland
‘Miniature Self’ debut single from album ‘Secret Knock’ was made single of the week 12/6/23 on BBC Radio Scotland. Deb was interviewed by Janice Forsyth live on the radio and the track was played daily
‘There is nothing I don’t love about this song’ Michelle McManuss BBC Radio Scotland The Afternoon Show
‘under the radar’ the scotsman / Scotland On sunday
Featured in The Scotsman as artist of the week in the Scotland On Sunday newspaper in May 2023. ‘
‘Aurora Engine is an impressive Edinburgh-based artist mixing electronica with harp, piano and song’. Olaf Furniss
‘made in Scotland’ Showcase
August 2023
Delighted to announce that ‘Terre’ a sonic exploration of Scottish landscape has been funded by the prestigious MADE IN SCOTLAND Showcase in August 2023. The show will take place at SUMMERHALL as part of their eclectic and experimental and creatively ambitious programme. You can find out more here www.auroraengine.com/terre
‘Seal’s Lullaby’ CHoirs for Climate 2023
Funded by Creative Scotland ‘Choir’s for Climate’ concert was organised by Chris Hutchings on 10th March 2023 at Greyfriar’s Kirk, Edinburgh and featured songs by local and international composers. ‘Seal’s Lullaby’ is a choral piece of two short movements in which a mournful narrator (seal cow) warns her offspring of dangers of the ocean at the hands of human pollution. The first movement focuses on the threat of entanglement in plastic waste, the second the harmful microplastic toxins which have been discovered in seals’ milk. Both pieces use harmonic, melodic devices common in traditional lullabies, set in minor keys, with haunting hushed storytelling delivered in a soft, aspartate tone. This is contrasted by excerpts with repetitive ‘siren-esque’ passages, warning of the danger of the ocean and its human polluters.
pan si dong 盤絲洞 - live scoring commission
november 2022
Commissioned by UK China Collaboration https://www.ukchinafilm.com and St Andrews’ university to create a new score for iconic film ‘Pan Si Dong - Cave of the Silken Web’ 1927. This unique footage considered lost was rediscovered in Norway and was Licenced by Norwegian Film Institute.
This screening at Dundee Contemporary Arts formed part of a wider festival ‘Colour Across Chinese Cinema’ https://www.chinesefilmcolour.com
Shaw’s score using piano, synths, harp and voice explored the visual representation of women in the film, the impact of the male gaze on the narratives and themes of consent within the film.
‘TERRE’ - SOundFest - Emerging composer October 2022
Commissioned by Aberdeen’s prestigious SoundFest hosted by Sound Scotland to premiere a new suite of compositions ‘Terre’ exploring composers relationship with the natural world, and our response as artists to the climate crisis. Premiere 28th October 2022
Blending collected sounds of nature with harp, voice, piano and French horn, composer Deborah Shaw (Aurora Engine) presents a series of electroacoustic compositions. Pitch-shifting blackbirds, buzzing honey bees morphing into dance beats, soundscapes made from ocean waste and a suite of ‘sonic trees’.
See webpage https://www.auroraengine.com/terre for more information
TOUR OF ELECTRIC MUSES - BFI Film feels curious fund JULY 2022
Cinetopia collaborated with The Debutante, Aurora Engine (Deborah Shaw), and Bell Lungs (Ceylan Hay) to bring Electric Muses to more audiences across the Scotland and the UK in 2022. Together they delivered a women-led evening of surrealist film and creative technologically enhanced live music with collaborating with other film organisations across the UK. Electric Muses celebrates women working in creative technology spanning across two centuries, bringing their overlooked input into the public eye. This tour will visited Newcastle Star and Shadow Cinema, Edinburgh’s Pianodrome, and Glasgow’s Panoptican. Composers Deborah Shaw and Ceylan Hay are commissioned to compose a brand new score for the famous Maya Deren’s surrealist film Meshes of the Afternoon This piece will be collaborative composition blending electronic audio processing and real instruments. Photo Credit: Lesley Martin
COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE - EARTH IN COMMON 2022
Deborah is resident composer for “Earth In Common’. Comissioned to produce a piece of sound art for the outdoor space and also to compose a new piece of music to celebrate the opening of their newly funded building, Shaw will also work with the community delivering a series of sound workshops, exploring environmental themes and our response to the climate crisis.
This residency ties in top a body of work she is currently developing, composing music and soundscapes from ocean and recycled waste and sounds of the natural world.
new music scotland composer residency with sally beamish
Selected from one of 4 composers to take part in a residential with New Music Scotland hosted by Sally Beamish composer. With Mentorship from Sally composers had time to explore ideas for new works.
creative Scotland album funding 2021
Funding received for studio album, written and produced by Aurora Engine. The album will combine acoustic instruments, electronic sounds weaved with story and song exploring themes of loss, emancipation, motherhood and creative voice. Due for release in 2022
Field Recording collaboration-Chris watson sound recordist 2021
Collaboration in Sept 2021 with Chris Watson Sound Engineer collecting harp sounds in nature. Sounds will be featured on CREATIVE SCOTLAND funded album.
The Scotsman Arts - Artist of the week March 14th 2021
Nominated as ‘Artist of the Week’ by Scotland on SUnday / The Scotsman music journalist Derek Mackinnon
FIONA LIDDEL’S SHOUT OUT SATURDAYS (Feb 2021 - Music Review / Blog)
I first heard Aurora at a Loud Poets gig a couple of years ago where Aurora was the featured performer artist. I was stunned by her gorgeous voice and beautiful harp playing then. Her new song (Minotaur) is creepy, hilarious, eerie, catchy - I can’t get the haunting melodies out of my head. If you want to listen to something completely different, funny, and really beautifully put together in terms of production, check her out.
Aurora is very folk fantasy with electronic elements. The track starts with lots of lovely harp at the beginning, the arrangement is very ethereal, dream like and fantastical.
Really feel a sense of the loneliness of this Minotaur and connect with the story and narrative. The emotion actually brought me to tears.
Creative Muses - live Scoring event
6th March 2020 - Leith Theatre
Funded by Film Hub Scotland https://www.filmhubscotland.com and produced by Cinetopia www.cinetopiashow.com ‘Creative Muses’ saw two female composers (including myself) commissioned to compose a live score to be performed alongside a 1920’s film ‘The Seashell and the Clergyman’ directed by Germaine Dulac. This event was designed to celebrate and promote women using technology in their creative practises. Both women composers used a selection of electronic composition techniques in their delivery of the score.
The film is set to tour cinemas when they reopen after COVID-19.
DOUNE THE RABBIT HOLE
November 2019
Film by Spiral Out Pictures www.spiraloutpictures.com
In July 2019 I was commissioned to compose the score for the adventure film ‘Doune The Rabbit Hole.’ The film toured adventure film festivals across the UK and is now on general release on AMAZON PRIME