“Joy in every note.” – RnR Magazine
Tina Jordan Rees is an acclaimed composer and multi-instrumentalist known for her upbeat, danceable, and quirky tunes that bring a playful energy to contemporary traditional music. Playing flute, whistles, and piano, she blends Irish and Scottish influences with originality and flair. Based in Glasgow and originally from Lancashire, Tina has twice been nominated for Composer of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards (2022 & 2014), firmly cementing her reputation as one of the most original and dynamic composers in the traditional music scene.
Tina’s 2022 solo flute and whistle album Beatha, comprised entirely of her own compositions, was praised by The Living Tradition as “a breath of fresh air, a top-quality recording, and a great introduction to an immensely talented musician.” Released alongside Beatha was a tune book containing 76 of her original compositions, showcasing her work as a prolific composer.
In 2025, Tina performed with her band under her own name at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, supporting the legendary Frankie Gavin & De Dannan – a career highlight that followed years of performing, recording, and teaching across the UK, Europe, and beyond.
A finalist in the 2011 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year, Tina is also a two-time senior piano champion at the All Britain Fleadh (2012 & 2009), and holds Grade 8 classical piano which she achieved aged 17. She has recorded piano and flute on Claire Hastings’ Lullabies from Scotland (2023), Gráinne Brady’s Newcomer (2021), and Mac Ìle – The Music of Fraser Shaw (2017). In 2015, she released High Spirits, a duo album of original compositions with fiddler Gráinne Brady, and to date has released five Irish dance music albums featuring many of her own tunes.
Tina grew up Irish dancing in Lancashire and in 2018 passed her exam to become a fully qualified Irish dance teacher (TCRG). She began her graduate studies in 2006 on the BA in Irish Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, before moving to Glasgow in 2009 to study on the Erasmus programme. There, she transferred to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), graduating in 2011 with a BA (Hons) in Scottish Music.
Tina’s vibrant style, prolific output, and distinctive sound make her one of the most exciting and sought-after artists in today’s traditional music scene.
“If you enjoy Flook, you’ll enjoy Beatha.” – KLOF Mag (formerly Folk Radio UK)
“Tina’s technique is impeccable, her ornamentation always tasteful and her phrasing practically perfect.” – Alex Monaghan, The Living Tradition
“From sweet and poignant to dramatic and fast-paced, Tina Jordan Rees’ thoughtful compositions and inspired playing takes us on a journey that invokes a fulsome range of emotions.” – Darren’s Music Blog