MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards: CHERRYGROVE

Congratulations to CHERRYGROVE who have been nominated in Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2014. Vote now!

We asked Grant McFarlane of CHERRYGROVE the following questions.

Tell us about yourself
With traditional songs, contemporary melodies and original compositions, CHERRYGROVE are one of Scotland’s most exciting new folk ensembles. So far, they have enticed audiences internationally with performances at the London 2012 Olympics as well as Europe’s largest celtic music festival, Festival Interceltique in Lorient, France. With support from Creative Scotland and crowdfunding through Kickstarter, 2014 saw the release of their debut album, ‘No Time Like Now’ which showcases a selection of songs and tunes from their first 2 years together. With former students of the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music and a finalist from the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2013 competition, the band produce an exceptional level of musicianship which is evident in their thoughtful and sophisticated arrangements.

Why are you involved in Scottish music?
All 5 members of the band grew up with different backgrounds in music but came together at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland after each deciding to pursue a career in traditional music. During their studies, each member of the band was given the opportunity to develop their individual ability but also to spend the necessary time building friendships and links within the industry. CHERRYGROVE brings together 5 different styles and backgrounds but ultimately provides an output for the music we all love to play. Traditional music is an incredibly special part of Scottish culture which needs to be showcased at any given opportunity – CHERRYGROVE allows us to do just that.

Any particular career highlights?
One of our favourite moments so far would have to be our performances at Festival Interceltique in Lorient, France. Over the course of a week, we performed at several concerts that all had an incredible response from the audience. Seeing first-hand how alive the traditional music scene remains was an absolute joy and we hope to travel even further afield to showcase what we do best.

Another highlight would be recording our debut album, ‘No Time Like Now’. We had the opportunity to work with the fantastic Angus Lyon at his studio Gran’s House and stayed there for a week which was great fun. The creative process when making the album – from arranging songs and tunes to having the final album in our hand – was one that we all learned a massive amount from and we are all very grateful for everyone who helped us along the way.

What are your plans for the future?
CHERRYGROVE look forward to a busy year ahead after the success of our debut album. With ongoing discussions at festivals and venues around the country, we are working hard to secure dates across Scotland and further afield in 2015. The band is also privileged to be part of the charity, Live Music Now, delivering traditional music performances/workshops to those who don’t always get the chance to see them (i.e. elderly care homes, special needs schools) and look forward to doing more work with them in the coming years.

Buy a ticket for the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 13th December in Inverness Leisure, start time 7pm. You’ll have a great time!