Now published in History Scotland, Spring 2025: The ‘Scottish Soprano’ and the ‘Voice of Scotland’

Posted on by Dr Karen E McAulay
The Scottish Clans Association of London badge, on background of Mackinnon tartan

Sadly, this is the last issue of History Scotland, but I’m very pleased to have an article published there. I have really enjoyed writing this, and I think my idea of comparing two very different Scottish singers has actually come together rather well.  I wanted to write about Robert Wilson, but I didn’t want to go over the same ground that has already been covered.  I also wanted to write about Flora Woodman – but would anyone remember her? Then came the inspiration: what if I wrote about them both, two almost contemporary but very different celebrities, and then I could compare them.  This hadn’t been done before! And it worked  – the piece almost wrote itself.

Karen E McAulay, ‘The ‘Scottish Soprano’ and the ‘Voice of Scotland’: the Importance of Nationality to Flora Woodman and Robert Wilson’, History Scotland Vol.25 no.1 (Spring 2025), 74-81

If your public library has e-magazines, you’ll be able to read it online. Glasgow Life certainly has it!

Flora Woodman – photo and compliments, 25th October 1924

Thinking about the Forthcoming Entertainment  …

Posted on by Dr Karen E McAulay

On LinkedIn, public-speaking coach Alex Merry recently posted these tips on making a great presentation. It occurs to me that some of these tips will be equally applicable to the Scottish song entertainment that I’m leading later this month.

Alex Merry’s Presentation Tips

In my case, it’s not a presentation at all – I just need to introduce the songs we’re singing.  So it’s categorically not about me. But I do need to be lively and relatable.  Start with a short sentence and a pause? I hadn’t thought of that, but it should be easy to factor in.

Fun? Oh, yes. I have a few ideas! 💡 Well, props, really. I’m going to need one of those big, reusable supermarket bags.  And I have an abundance of stories, so that’s all right.

My only problem is this: I’m a bit embarrassed about my Englishness.  I’ve lived in Scotland more than half my life.  Scottish national music is my specialism, and I’m secure in my subject – but this is a fun entertainment, not a demonstration of knowledge, and my accent is all wrong.  So … do I bring attention to it jokingly, or put it to the back of my mind? My personal view is that you should never draw attention to your weaknesses.  What would you do?  Stuart Chater on LinkedIn makes a good argument for NOT being ashamed of your accent.

And the song I’m going to sing? (It wasn’t my idea, someone asked me.)  It’s short. It’s within my vocal range. But I can no more sound Scottish than fly!

Someone please tell me I’m over-thinking this!