Singer-songwriter Sarah Birch began making a noise in 1983 and continued to make a noise for some years. Having commandeered her father's keyboard when she was 3, her parents eventually came to the conclusion that in order to turn this noise into music piano lessons would be required, and so at the age of 8 she began lessons in Inverness with Susan Morris. Unfortunately for all, Sarah was unsatisfied with the range of noise she could produce with only one instrument and began violin lessons during her first year of secondary school. At the age of 16 Sarah applied to St Mary's Music School, Edinburgh and was accepted with a scholarship to study classical Piano, Violin and Voice, changing a year later to study Voice, Piano, Violin and Composition. During this period she was a violinist in both St Mary's own orchestra and the Highland Region Youth Orchestra, and a soprano in St Mary's choir, singing amongst other things a small solo in their performance of Bach's St John's Passion at St Mary's Cathedral.

Having finished her education, a year out was sorely needed to decided what should be done with the following years, and during this time Sarah chose to begin a degree at Newcastle University studying Music and Philosophy. Although it became apparent that the degree was unsuitable, during the six months she spent in Newcastle Sarah started to learn guitar and began playing the bass for Tier, an indie band which, in its very short life, did a remarkable amount, including having one of the tracks from their E.P played during a match at St James's Park. This band went on to become 3 Hours Wasted, which Sarah played in for a short time before transferring to Edinburgh University to begin a BMus, and which is now enjoying increasing success in Newcastle and the North East. Before leaving Newcastle Sarah was lucky to meet David Baldwin and Gareth Williams, members of the band Project3 and owners of independant record label Karisma Records. She is now signed to the label and hopes to begin recording her debut E.P soon.

Sarah is now happily settled back in Edinburgh, is beginning the first year of her BMus in October, and has been spending the intervening months writing and starting to perform on the city's acoustic circuit.

 

Musical Influences:

Classical: Rachmaninov, Chopin, Debussy, Beethoven, MacMillan, Stravinsky, Varese, Schostakovich, Orff

Modern: Jeff Buckley, Tim Buckley, Smashing Pumpkins, Everclear, Sheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell, Nine Inch Nails, Barenaked Ladies, Blink 182, My Ruin, Wildtype, Counting Crows, REM, System of a Down, Spacehog, Belle & Sebastian, Aimee Mann, Ben Folds Five, Ocean Colour Scene, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Susan Vega, Beth Orton and too many others to mention.

Other interests: - Sarah is bafflingly proud of her ability to quote Eddie Izzard and Billy Connelly sketches from beginning to end, and loves the comedy club. She is a martial arts enthusiast (albeit an unfit one) and studies Ju-Jitsu and Thai Boxing when she can. She also enjoys rugby union and sabre fencing, although was known to defend herself by running away, which to her, seems perfectly sensible.

Instruments:

Voice, piano, violin, guitar, bass, accordion and spoons.