Mary Ann Kennedy hails from a Gaelic-speaking family with island roots. She is based in Lochaber where she runs creative production house, Watercolour Music, with partner Nick Turner. She grew up with traditional and classical song at home, and was immersed in the strong Glasgow Gaelic community and the wider Scottish Gaelic choral family.
She led Inverness Gaelic Choir for many years and now directs Lochaber Gaelic Choir, who won the Margrat Duncan Trophy – one of the Royal National Mòd’s premier awards – in 2025.
She is a prolific composer and arranger and a Saltire Award recipient for her ground-breaking work Lasair Dhè.




