An Ancient Muse

The daughter of a nurse-mother and a livestock-trading father, songstress Loreena McKennitt studied classical piano and vocal training, and learned to dance in the highland style as a youngster. Her love of traditional music was strengthened in the folk clubs of Winnipeg, which she frequented during the brief period she studied veterinary science at the University of Manitoba. Relocating to Stratford, Ontario, she continued to sharpen her skills as a composer and performer. In 1981, she auditioned...