Hands Up for Trad is delighted to reveal the 2026 inductees to the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame Services to Community section. These remarkable individuals have given their time, energy, and expertise to nurturing, teaching, and sustaining Scotland’s traditional music heritage, making an extraordinary difference to the communities they serve.
The Services to Community inductees for 2026 represent the vital grassroots work that keeps traditional music alive and thriving:
Anna Murray – pioneering piper, Gaelic singer, and educator whose lifetime of performance, teaching, and community music-making on the Isle of Lewis has nurtured countless young musicians, including founding the Lewis and Harris Youth Pipe Band and teaching piping in Lewis schools from 2011 to 2023.
Donald ‘Maroot’ Macleod – founder of Care for a Ceilidh, the much-loved scheme that brings Gaelic singers and traditional musicians to perform for residents of hospices, care homes, and special needs schools, entirely on a voluntary basis, spreading joy and music to those who need it most.
Douglas Montgomery – inspiring fiddle teacher and performer whose thirty years of teaching in Orkney’s schools has shaped a generation of musicians, whilst his work with Saltfishforty, The Chair, and as musical director of The Gathering has brought Orkney’s traditional music to audiences around the world.
Joella Foulds – visionary co-founder of the Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton, whose decades of work building creative bridges between Scottish and Cape Breton traditional music has transformed opportunities for musicians on both sides of the Atlantic.
Linda and Mark Morpurgo – the partnership behind Glasgow Fiddle Workshop and Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop, whose extraordinary grassroots work brought traditional music tuition to six Argyll schools, established Fèis Ceann Loch Goibhle, and created a thriving community music scene in a rural area where none had existed before.
Sarah Northcott – devoted community musician and organiser whose thirty years of tireless work with the Scots Music Group in Edinburgh has opened the door to traditional music for countless people, alongside her innovative Inspire Project bringing music into homeless and mental health charities.
These inductees exemplify the dedication and passion that characterises Scotland’s traditional music community. From teaching children in island and rural schools to running community workshops, from founding internationally celebrated festivals to bringing live music to care homes, their collective work represents decades of commitment to ensuring traditional music remains vibrant, inclusive, and accessible to all.
Each inductee has demonstrated the generous spirit that defines traditional music communities — sharing knowledge freely, nurturing new talent, and ensuring that Scotland’s musical heritage is passed on to future generations with the same passion and authenticity that has sustained it for centuries.
The inductees will be honoured at a special ceremony during the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2026. Their recognition celebrates not only their individual contributions but also the countless volunteers, teachers, and community leaders who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep traditional music thriving.
The Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame Services to Community section, established in 2015, continues to recognise those whose selfless service enriches lives and strengthens communities through traditional music. Nominations for future inductees are welcomed from organisations and the public.
About the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame The Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame was established in 2005 to celebrate the vast array of talented people who have worked to preserve and promote Scottish traditional music. The Hall of Fame recognises contributions across multiple categories including Services to Performance, Services to Community, and special awards for outstanding contributions to Scottish culture.
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