Alison McNeill is a Scottish soprano, conductor, and fiddle player with a multifaceted career that effortlessly bridges classical, folk, and world music. Passionate about cross-disciplinary and immersive performances, she draws inspiration from world music and diverse cultures. Alison McNeill graduated with a Masters in Performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She went on to study with the late legendary mezzo soprano Teresa Berganza in Granada, Spain winning the Andres Segovia prize for Spanish Song in Spain (the only non-native speaker to win this award). As a specialist in Spanish Song, Alison has premiered new works by Spain’s foremost composers Anton Garcia Abril and Teresa Bretal in the National Auditorium of Galicia and Atheneum in Madrid. She has also performed in the Manuel de Falla Auditorium in Granada and in the houses of celebrated composers Joaquin Rodrigo and Manuel de Falla. With world class guitarist and duo partner Sasha Savaloni, Alison performed two World Premieres by Stuart MacRae and Marco Ramelli at the St. Magnus International Festival in Orkney and gave a recital in Madrid’s famous “Clasicos en Verano” Chamber Music Festival which was recorded by Spanish National Radio. 

Since then she has performed as a soloist all over the UK, Holland, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Japan, Pakistan, Kenya, USA and Mexico with highlights including singing Pop up Tours with Scottish Opera, soloist with Ditirambo Early Music Ensemble in Mexico, Minami Aizu Concert Hall (Japan), Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne with the Glasgow Chamber Orchestra, and Verdi Requiem and Carmina Burana with the RSNO in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

As a Traditional Musician, Alison is fiddler and singer songwriter in the award-winning Folk Rock band Reely Jiggered who won the 02 abc SoundWave Music competition and have since released 3 albums to critical acclaim with Celtic Music Radio describing it as “such a stunning collection of music by the most talented of musicians. It’s a while since I’ve been so excited about an album that I feel will live forever…” . They perform in many International Folk Festivals, most recently returning from a tour of Pakistan, Ireland, Denmark, USA and Kenya. The band have performed at the Scottish Parliament, Celtic Connections and for BBC Radio nan Gaidheal, Radio 4, Pakistani and Mexican National TV.

Described by the Glasgow Herald as having “a succinct conducting style, commanding undivided attention.” Alison is Youth Chorus Master of Opera North and Associate Director of Royal Scottish National Orchestra Youth Chorus. For six years she was Director of the National Youth Choir of Northern Ireland’s Boys Choir and 100 strong Junior Choir who premiered of Claire McCue’s cycle “The Giant Folk and the Wee Folk” celebrating the myths and legends of Northern Ireland broadcast on BBC Ulster.

Alison is conductor of National Youth Choir of Scotland National Boys Choir trebles, Director of Coats Choral who will perform with the Glasgow Chamber Orchestra and founding Director of Voices of Argyll.