Chasing the Years: 100 Years of Popular Song

Ciarán MacGillivray, tenor

Ciarán has always been involved in the arts. He’s an accomplished musician and is currently in his final year at Berklee College of Music in Boston where is he pursuing a degree in music composition for film, TV, and video games. He has acted as composer, arranger, musical director, conductor, and recording artist for various projects and spends his spare time writing music. His band, The Cottars, have performed from Tokyo, Japan to Carnegie Hall, New York City. As an actor, Ciarán began his training in Neptune Theatre’s year-long Pre-Professional Training Program. He’s since acted in dozens of theatre productions as lead characters, and he professes a deep love for all forms of live performance.

Kurt Sampson, bass and vocal percussion

Malcolm MacNeil, guitar

With deep family roots in Cape Breton Celtic music, Malcolm MacNeil is carving out his space in the local scene. He began playing fiddle at age 5, and at age 13 picked up the guitar. In May of 2024, Malcolm graduated from the Jazz Studies program at St. Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Music. He has performed with some of Nova Scotia’s most established artists, including Heather Rankin and The Barra MacNeils. He now lives in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and is recording his debut EP as a recipient of the Drive’Ers Association’s “Big Sampie” Award.