Magnus Turpie Combo have reached the finals of Battle of The Folk Bands 2024. The competition will be held at Celtic Connections on January 20th in the Drygate Brewery at 1pm. Why not come along and join in the fun?
We asked Magnus a few questions about the band.
Tell us about your band
Magnus Turpie Combo is a 3 to 5 piece band, with flexibility to add additional players to suit the occasion.
Our repertoire is mainly drawn from the ‘Celtic/Scottish traditional’ and associated genres with original material also following that style.
The band in this manifestation was formed in response to the ‘Battle of the Folk Bands’ Challenge, so as such doesn’t have a large catalogue of gigs/recordings.
Their first outing took place on 8 December 23 as a 4-piece at the ‘Totally Sound/Reel Youth Media SCIO Ceilidh Cabaret’ (pictured in FB profile).
Who are the band members
Lead Accordion : Magnus Turpie
Magnus Turpie plays a diatonic 3-row b/c/c# Stradella bass Paramount accordion.
He has been performing in sessions, and at public and private events since 2017, including ‘Loud and Clear’ at Scottish Parliament, ‘Lau-land Big Tune Machine’ (EIF), and ‘Knight at the Castle’ (2018) with fiddler Isla Ratcliffe & accordionist Cavan Rodgers where they supported singer/songwriter Sophie Penman.
More recent performances include Dandelion Festival : Lauriston Farm opening day (2022) with guitarist Dominic Blaikie; Feis Rois Ceilidh Trail – gigs & closing concert at Eden Court – (July/Aug 2023 ); Scottish & European Folk Day event – Scottish Storytelling Centre (Sept 2023) , hosted by folk band Dowally.
In 2023, Magnus has been piloting ‘Pathways’ programmes for both Live Music Now Scotland and Feis Rois, both of which organisations have recognised the under-representation of people with additional support needs in their programmes.
He is also a composer, working towards completion and recording of a ‘4 Seasons’ suite with Drake Music Scotland in a more ‘lounge jazz’ style. Magnus is also responsible for creating the ubiquitous ‘Magnus’s Polka’, which has been gaining popularity nationwide and abroad since its creation in 2013.
Magnus Turpie is also a member of ‘All together Now’ (RSNO) ‘GDJam’ (EJBF) and Scots Music Group in Edinburgh.
He is grateful to all of these agencies, as well as Creative Scotland’s ‘Create:Inclusion II’ initiative, for their support.
Guitar : Dominic Blaikie
Dominic is one of the finest, most sensitive Guitar accompanists and session hosts you will find on the Edinburgh session scene. He also plays fiddle and sings, playing regularly with fiddler Rachel Petyt in their popular duo – https://rachelanddominic.bandcamp.com/album/rachel-walker-and-dominic-blaikie
Dom has been accompanying Magnus at various gigs since 2022 including as part of the ‘Dandelion Project’ and Down’s Syndrome Scotland’s ‘Forever 21’ ball in March 2023. They are also a popular ‘turn’ with the residents at a local residential care home.
Fiddle : Daisy McCormick
Daisy has been involved with numerous ensembles, including the fabulous ‘Laul-land Big Tune Machine’ (EIF) gigs at Leith theatre and Edinburgh’s Queens Hall in 2018 and other projects including ‘Strands: 30th Anniversary Youth Concert‘ (Celtic Connections education programme – 2023). Daisy has gone on to study Applied Music BA (Hons) with University of the Highlands and Islands.
Second Accordion : Iseabail Strachan
Iseabail Strachan is an accordionist, banjo player, community musician, tutor & filmmaker from Breakish in South Skye. She loves to bring people together through music, stories and craic. As well as playing music with her sister in the duo ‘Ester & Iseabail’s Kitchen Ceilidhs’ online and in person, she plays in the Breakish Ceilidh Band and with other musicians in Skye and further afield. She enjoys composing, playing and recording music at home, walking in the hills and going on adventures big and small. Tha Gàidhlig aice agus tha i toilichte conaltradh a dhèanamh ann an Gàidhlig no Beurla.
Iseabail also broadcasts her weekly show ‘Accordion to Ish’ on Radio Skye every Monday evening at 7pm. Local Broadcasting across Skye and Lochalsh – Radio Skye
Keyboard : Matthew Duncan
Matthew studies Maths at Edinburgh University & also plays piano accordion. This summer he was a member of the Feis Rois Ceilidh trail and plays regularly with EU Folk Society and Broma Ceilidh Band. https://www.bromaband.co.uk/
What are you hopes and aspirations for the band?
The band in this manifestation was formed in response to the ‘Battle of the Folk Bands’ Challenge, so as such doesn’t have a large catalogue of gigs/recordings. Their first outing took place on 8 December 23 as a 4-piece at the ‘Totally Sound/Reel Youth Media SCIO Ceilidh Cabaret’.
You will no doubt notice that Magnus Turpie is a musician who also happens to have Down’s Syndrome.
People with Down’s Syndrome are the least represented of all groups of people with characteristics protected under the Equality Act (2010) in the Traditional Music-making world.
This needs to change.
Success in this competition would bring the opportunity to expand the band’s footprint in terms of visibility in the traditional world and hopefully encourage full social and musical integration among musicians of all abilities and characteristics.
Check out the band’s website.
Battle of The Folk Bands is a Hands Up for Trad project. Read about the organisation and join our weekly Scottish music information email here.
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