Mohsen Amini from Glasgow is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2015. We asked Mohsen the following questions:
How did you get involved in Scottish music?
I got into Scottish music ironically through Comhaltas where I was picked up the concertina. After years of playing Irish music I came into the session scene of Glasgow which is rich in Scottish music and got completely hooked.
Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
The BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award is something I have always wanted to enter as it holds a great status among musicians and is a tremendous help to your career.
What do you hope to gain from the experience?
I would like to gain more knowledge on playing with different musicians and adapting to other styles with such a short time frame in which to do so. Also an experience in arrange music for not just my instrument but a backline.
Do you have any particular musical highlights?
The highlights of my musical career would have to start with winning the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award with Talisk after initially winning the Danny Kyle Award that year.
Apart from that would just playing with the musicians in the various bands I’m in as some started out as people I would have loved to play with and never thought I would have the chance.
Also meeting David Foley.
What are your plans for the future?
To continue and develop my career with the various band I have, Talisk, ÍMAR, The Lowground and Fourth Moon.
Next year at least will see the release of my first album with Talisk and also ÍMAR.
Why not buy a ticket to hear Mohsen Amini or any other of the finalists at the Grand Finals on Sunday February 1st at 5pm. The finals are part of Celtic Connections festival. If you can’t make it along the event will be broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland between 5 & 8pm and on the iPlayer afterwards.
Catch BBC Music at Celtic Connections http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p039tgwn
and visit their Young Trad 2016 page