Ian White: The Christian music pioneer and founder of the Inspiration Orchestra

Sunday 22nd January 2017

Lins Honeyman spoke at length to one of UK Christian music's pioneers, IAN WHITE



Continued from page 1

I suggest to Ian that it must be a bit of a culture shock moving from playing his own songs in bigger venues to singing other people's material in small bars to folks who may or may not be interested. "When you get to the stage of having records that have sold and people knowing your repertoire, it's actually quite a cushy number," he comments. "Playing covers and smaller gigs again has been good for my humility because, on the gospel circuit, you are the people's guest. You show up and they say they love your work, ask you where you would like to change, how long you'd like to play and it's lovely. I did 12 tours of New Zealand, six tours of Germany, I've been in America 20 times and all around the UK countless times - 200 dates in the busy years - but I never really had to play more than two hours and people were always very nice to you.

Candlemaker Row
Candlemaker Row

"When you get back to playing covers in hotels and bars, you are their servant," he continues. "You have to play for far longer and they've no idea that you've done lots of records of your own. I often want to say to today's worship artists - try the challenge of holding it tight and in tune for three hours. When you look at rock climbers, you wonder why they bother going up there. They've got bleeding hands and feet but at least they can say they got to the top. It's kind of like that for me. Can I - at age 60 - still hold down a three and a half hour gig? I'm just glad I haven't lost the joy of music and I feel very blessed about the combination of music I'm involved in at the moment. I can only be incredibly thankful."

Part of that combination of music includes a foray into classical music which has resulted in two Kinnoull Symphonies - named after the part of Perth that Ian lives in - with a third in the pipeline. "My parents didn't like modern music," he explains to give some background into this particular side to his musical life. "All they had in the house until I was six or seven was classical music and that's all I was able to listen to for the first part of my life. I started hitting a piano when I was about nine but I was happier strumming a guitar. Somehow though, I've always heard classical music playing in my head and I've often wondered if that's something to do with my early years."

It seems that the roots of the Kinnoull Symphonies stretch back quite some time, as Ian confirms. "In 1988, Morningside Baptist in Edinburgh asked me to write a musical for their church so, in 10 days, I wrote what I thought was a very beautiful piece of music. It ran for about an hour or so and it was very classical-sounding. I gave it to them but for some reason they turned it down and it ended up just sitting on a shelf. All the tunes on the first Kinnoull Symphony are from the piece that I wrote all those years ago.

"I ended up partnering with a young classically-trained Perth musician called Andrew MacDonald to get the Kinnoull Symphonies off the ground. Andrew and I worked out that we could hire an orchestra in the Czech Republic for four hours and we really worked them for the time that we had them. They played non-stop for four hours and played two symphonies back to back. What we're doing now is seeing if youth orchestras in particular would be interested in playing them and one of the pieces has already been premiered by an orchestra in Atlanta. That whole classical thing - now called White MacDonald Publishing - has really grown out of something that was seeded a long time ago and was running parallel with my gospel work."

In closing, we return to the project that has perhaps captured Ian's heart the most. I ask him what the immediate plans for the Inspiration Orchestra are. "It may be an option, if the charity grows in stature, to help others elsewhere in the country to do what we're doing here," he advises. "Down the line, it may be that my role involves training up other tutors. Right now though, we want to consolidate where we are and we want to learn how to do what we're doing better. It's early days but I feel incredibly excited about it and I would encourage anyone to have a look at what we're doing."

Find out more about the Inspiration Orchestra at www.youtube.com/watch?v=II8TTTadfbw  CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.
About Lins Honeyman
Lins HoneymanLins Honeyman is a Perthshire-based singer/songwriter and currently presents The Gospel Blues Train on Cross Rhythms Radio on Saturday nights from 11pm and on Listen Again.


 
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Reader Comments

Posted by Martin Butcher in Cornwall @ 21:45 on Sep 20 2019

We love Ian White and his music.
First heard him on a narrow boat holiday with friends John & Pat Chapman back in the eighties.
His recording of the psalms has helped to sustain us in our christian life ever since.
Thanks M&M



Posted by charles ward in Cork Ireland @ 18:57 on Apr 1 2018

Ian came to cork several times i have great memory of trinity presby church 1987 when I first heard him and the band they sang phillipi - great musician and humble guy



Posted by Lindadupree in Southampton new york @ 06:05 on Aug 17 2017

Ian white is the best. His music has seen me through some pretty tough times and i hope he comes back for another visit soon. My ian will be delighted to see you



Posted by Andy Stanforth in York @ 23:09 on Jul 26 2017

I inherited an old music player with a cassette player recently. Dug out my Phillipi cassette and reaquainted myself with the songs that meant so much to us a family when we lived up in Perthshire in the late 80s. I think the music is more relevant than ever and I have greatly benefitted from listening to it again.
I was quite saddened that Ian has not continued in popularity.


Reply by Graham Taylor in Hull @ 14:48 on Oct 19 2017

Ian is in concert 2/11/17 at Jubilee Hall Hull
See www.grt7v.co.uk

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Posted by Heather cooper in neilston, East Renfrewshire @ 20:25 on Jul 24 2017

hi Ian, have tried to contact Margaret Benson (maybe she is off on holiday) it is simply to ask you if you require us to have sound equipment, overhead projector, or song words. Or will you take care of these technical things.?
We are looking forward to your visit with us 3rd August. Life church so please let us know if we can provide anything you may need. Looking forward to hearing from you. Every blessing. Yours Heather :))



Posted by ronald Daka in Zambia @ 06:31 on Apr 22 2017

I have enjoyed Ian White's music from the 1990s. My favorite remains Psalm 41. It is so pleasing to know he is now doing work with the physically challenged.
May God bless Ian for being a true blessing to many Christians worldwide.



Posted by Mandy Kerr in Grampian Hotel Perth @ 12:23 on Jan 27 2017

I think Ian and Pete are absolutely amazing ,having played at our hotel a few times their music together is so so good,I think the article on Ian just shows what a wonderful,humble and talented guy he really is



Posted by Sheena in Perth @ 13:09 on Jan 24 2017

What an interesting article on Ian. Thanks for that Lins. I've known of Ian's music for a long time now and heard him sing since the 90s but I've just learnt a load from your article Lins.



Posted by Gavin in Perth @ 14:53 on Jan 22 2017

During the period Ian was working with schools, he taught my son to pick his first notes on a guitar. Almost a decade later he's still playing (even as I type)! Ian's a legend... really interesting to read about what he's now doing.



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