Biography

Dr Anne Lorne Gillies has been singing for many years in Gaelic and several other languages: on television; radio and record; in gathering halls; theatres and cabaret; at conferences; festivals; and summer schools in Scotland and abroad. She has appeared in countless television programmes, both in Scotland and throughout Britain, from 'S e Ur Beatha in the 60s to Dà Chànain, Aon Chridhe and Tuath-cheòl.

Anne has been learning Gaelic songs all her life. She began going to the Mod when she was in primary school in Oban. She learned songs from the oral tradition in Oban High School, from the headmaster, John MacLean from Raasay, who taught her songs such as Cairistìona, Ailein Duinn a Nì 's a Nàire, Òran Mòr Sgorrabreac, A Mhic Iain 'ic Sheumais, and Mo Rùn Geal Òg, which was her own-choice piece when she won the Gold Medal aged seventeen.

She graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1965 (Celtic and English). Professor William Matheson was the Celtic lecturer at the time and taught her many songs. Anne stayed in Edinburgh for a further year to complete a postgraduate degree in the School of Scottish Studies before going to London to receive classical voice training. In 1967 she was awarded an LRAM from the Royal Academy, and a teaching qualification (PGCE) from the University of London. She found work in a large high school in Oxfordshire; it was not long before the pupils learned (and enjoyed!) Gaelic songs.

Anne has been advocating for the Gaelic language her whole life, as a teacher, writer, activist and parent. She has three children.

She was an assistant for the Gaelic Pre-School Council from 1982-1997 and a member of various other committees. Each year she taught Gaelic song at the University of Stirling Summer School, and among her students were Karen Matheson, Mairi MacInnes and Talitha Nelson. In 1985 she attended Jordanhill College to gain an additional qualification for primary teaching, to support the new Gaelic unit at Sir John Maxwell Primary School, Glasgow. In 1989 she received a PhD from the University of Glasgow (Gaelic-medium Education in Urban Contexts).

Anne worked as Development Officer (Education) for Comann na Gàidhlig, then as a television producer with MNE and STV (she was a producer on Speaking our Language), and finally as a lecturer at the University of Strathclyde. She was the Gaelic and Heritage spokesperson for the Scottish National Party between 1996 and 1999, and stood as a parliamentary candidate for both the London and European parliaments. She did not win, but she made good friends, both for herself and, she hoped, for the Gaelic language. She also ran a production/publishing company (Brìgh) with her husband, Kevin Bree.

In 1992 she was asked to write an autobiography (Song of Myself, Mainstream), and this inspired her to write several other books, including Songs of Gaelic Scotland (Birlinn, 2005), Coille an Fhàsaich, a collection of the poetry and song of Donald MacKillop (Brìgh, 2008), and many children's books.

As recognition for her work for the Gaelic language over the years, the University of Edinburgh awarded her an Honorary Doctorate in 1993, the University of the Highlands awarded her an Honorary Fellowship in 2008, and in 2009 she was named Gaelic Ambassador by the Scottish Government.

Anne was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame in 2012 and, in 2022, the 60th anniversary of her winning the Ladies' Gold Medal, she was presented with the prestigious Services to Gaelic Award by the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame.

In 2023, Anne was featured in Louise Baillie's book Spectacular Scottish Women, a celebration of iconic women from Scotland's past and present, written specially for young people.