Marcus Holden began studying the violin at the age of
eight in Canberra where his parents
had moved to from Melbourne. His formative years where spent playing classical
music as a
member of the Canberra Youth Orchestra. From the age of 11 he toured and
recorded with
choirs, groups and the CYO culminating in a tour of
Europe.
In his late teens his interest in rock, jazz and blues was sparked by the
newly amplified
violin and his career as a soloist began. Moving to Sydney in 1979 to study
jazz at the NSW
Con, Marcus quickly became the city's premier fiddle session player, recording
well over
400 award winning records, films and jingles working with such luminaries as
Jimmy Barnes,
Ross Wilson, Diesel, Mark Hunter, Ross Ryan, John Williamson, Richard Clapton,
Daryl
Braithwaite etc!
As his experience increased he began to pick up the skills as a composer,
producer and
recording engineer along the way. Feeling the need to develop other skills
besides the
supporting role most often offered to him, Marcus along with 3 other legendary
fiddlers (Ray
Schloeffel, Pixie Jenkins, and Andrew Clermont) formed a loose group of
lunatics which
eventually became known as the Fiddlers Festival.
From these humble beginnings (really just glorified jam session) at the 1996
Tamworth CMF,
under his guidance the FF is now the most widely recognized fiddle band in
Australia.
Several tours to Japan as well as high profile appearances back home have
inspired a whole
new generation of aspiring fiddlers and groups (like the Hawkesbury National
Fiddle Festival
www.fiddlefestival.com
and the Golden Fiddle Awards www.goldenfiddleawards.org.au) dedicated to the
promotion of the fiddle as an alternative to the classical stream of tuition
and
performance. Marcus also runs a successful recording studio (Bloody Dog
Studios) where he
produces much of his most recent work including the Fiddlers Festival's CDs.
In the past 12 months, the Fiddlers Festival have toured with the support of
the Federal
government for the Playing Australia Touring Program, NARPACA and Queenslan
Arts Council
Touring program, have been guests of the Brisbane City council for their 150
year
celebrations and were invited to perform at Expo in Nagoya, Japan by DFAT.
Marcus also writes for several magazines , is completing a book of Ray
Schleoffel's
tunes, arranges and writes music for school orchestras and has appearances
scheduled as a
solo violinist with the ASO, TSO and QO for 2006.
Production Credits
National Junk Band- Tin Can Alley
Jim Haynes- It's Not Cricket
Jim Haynes- Nothing Serious
Bernard Bolan - Upon Sober Reflection
Warren Fahey- Classic Bush Yarns
Swing masters- Undrummed
Frank Daniels- Chuckin' Rocks
Fiddlers Festival- Live, Feast Of Fiddlers, Strung Out, Get Reel
Greg Bryce- Helium Heart
Merilyn Steel This Passion
A Little Night Music
Damian Coen
Gilligan's Ireland
Quadraphonic
Arrangement Credits
Colin Buchanan- Measure of a Man
Alan Caswell- Different Eyes
Jimmy Barnes- Flesh and Wood, Settle For Me
Diesel (Mark Lizotte)- Solid State Rhyme
Australia Day Fireworks- 1997/98
John Williamson- Mulga To Mangoes
Brent Parlane-Two Story House