Loreena McKennitt-Biography

Biography
Renowned for her multi-textural musical arrangements and dynamic voice, Loreena Isabel Irene McKennitt was born on February 17, 1957, in Morden, Manitoba to Irene and Jack McKennitt. Even though Loreena Mckennitt initially desired to become a veterinarian, she developed a passion for music; especially Celtic music and subsequently took up learning the Celtic harp. Before she knew it, she was working to accumulate money to release her first album. Her first album was, “Elemental”(1985), but it was her third album, “Parallel Dreams”, which proved to be the breakthrough of her career. McKennitt’s next album, “The Visit”, was released in 1991 and yielded an even greater success than “Parallel Dreams. Both “Parallel Dreams” and McKennitt’s next album, “The Mask and Mirror”, released in 1994, earned her Juno Awards. Her fame soon spread to America and subsequently with her album, “The Book of Secrets” , released in 1997, she established herself as an exceptional musician both amongst audiences and the critics. Loreena Mckennitt’s lyrics are often inspired from the poetry of people like William Blake, Alfred Lord Tennyson and W.B Yeats. Her talent for blending different genres of music and instruments like Turkish Clarinet, Kanoun and Bouzouki with guitar, piano and drums, sets her apart from many others in her field of work. McKennitt’s music has also been a part of numerous television shows and movies. The striking thing about McKennitt’s music is the amount of research she invests in before working on any album. Before starting work on her next album, “Ancient Muse”, McKennitt researched and read up on the various cultures across the Silk Road. Similarly, her album, “The Mask and the Mirror” came after her trip to Spain where she researched and studied Galicia. In 2009, she released her album, “A Mediterranean Odyssey” which contained two discs; the first was titled, “From Istanbul to Athens” and hosted songs made in her Mediterranean tour, and the second was titled, “The Olive and Cedar” which comprised of her recordings made during 1994 to 2006. Most recently in 2010, she released the album, “The Wind That Shakes the Barley”. Apart from being a musician, Loreena Mckennitt is also a successful businesswoman and has her own recording label. She has won numerous awards and as well as have received several honorary degrees.

Biography

Renowned for her multi-textural musical arrangements and dynamic voice, Loreena Isabel Irene McKennitt was born on February 17, 1957, in Morden, Manitoba to Irene and Jack McKennitt. Even though Loreena Mckennitt initially desired to become a veterinarian, she developed a passion for music; especially Celtic music and subsequently took up learning the Celtic harp. Before she knew it, she was working to accumulate money to release her first album.

Her first album was, “Elemental”(1985), but it was her third album, “Parallel Dreams”, which proved to be the breakthrough of her career. McKennitt’s next album, “The Visit”, was released in 1991 and yielded an even greater success than “Parallel Dreams. Both “Parallel Dreams” and McKennitt’s next album, “The Mask and Mirror”, released in 1994, earned her Juno Awards. Her fame soon spread to America and subsequently with her album, “The Book of Secrets” , released in 1997, she established herself as an exceptional musician both amongst audiences and the critics.

Loreena Mckennitt’s lyrics are often inspired from the poetry of people like William Blake, Alfred Lord Tennyson and W.B Yeats. Her talent for blending different genres of music and instruments like Turkish Clarinet, Kanoun and Bouzouki with guitar, piano and drums, sets her apart from many others in her field of work. McKennitt’s music has also been a part of numerous television shows and movies.

The striking thing about McKennitt’s music is the amount of research she invests in before working on any album. Before starting work on her next album, “Ancient Muse”, McKennitt researched and read up on the various cultures across the Silk Road. Similarly, her album, “The Mask and the Mirror” came after her trip to Spain where she researched and studied Galicia. In 2009, she released her album, “A Mediterranean Odyssey” which contained two discs; the first was titled, “From Istanbul to Athens” and hosted songs made in her Mediterranean tour, and the second was titled, “The Olive and Cedar” which comprised of her recordings made during 1994 to 2006. Most recently in 2010, she released the album, “The Wind That Shakes the Barley”.

Apart from being a musician, Loreena Mckennitt is also a successful businesswoman and has her own recording label. She has won numerous awards and as well as have received several honorary degrees.

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