Six exceptional musicians selected for prestigious Celtic Connections final
Following an outstanding semi-finals weekend at BBC Pacific Quay in Glasgow, we’re thrilled to announce the six finalists for the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2026.
All twelve semi-finalists delivered exceptional performances throughout the weekend, showcasing the remarkable depth of talent within Scotland’s traditional music scene. The judges faced an incredibly difficult decision in selecting the final six, with each semi-finalist demonstrating outstanding musicianship, technical skill, and deep understanding of the tradition. The finalists are:
Calum McGregor – Piano and Piano Accordion (Glasgow)
Craig Harrison – Fiddle (Co. Clare, Ireland / Glasgow)
Ewen Rorie – Fiddle (Orkney)
Gregor Niven – Accordion (Glasgow)
Iona Fyfe – Scots Song (Aberdeenshire)
Rachel Groves – Lever Harp (Aberdeenshire)
The final will be held on Sunday 1st February 2026 in the City Halls, Glasgow as part of Celtic Connections Festival. Buy tickets here https://www.celticconnections.com/event/1/bbc-radio-scotland-young-traditional-musician-of-the-year-final-2026/
The 2026 Finalists
Calum McGregor – Piano and Piano Accordion (Glasgow)
Traditional music has been central to Calum’s life since childhood, beginning his journey at age five through Irish Minstrels CCÉ in Glasgow. Under mentor Kevin Murphy’s guidance, he developed his skills on piano and piano accordion, competing regularly through Comhaltas. His greatest achievement to date was winning the Senior Piano competition at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, a lifelong dream that drove him to practice consistently. Beyond competitions, he’s worked professionally as a musician, touring countries including Holland, France, Denmark, and Ireland. Recently, he’s been performing with Celtic Steps, an Irish dance show in County Kerry, alongside professional musicians from around the world, drawing inspiration from artists like Harris Playfair, Ryan Molloy, Rory Matheson, and Alan Kelly.
Craig Harrison – Fiddle (Co. Clare, Ireland / Glasgow)
Craig’s love of traditional music began in Co. Clare, Ireland, at age seven when he started learning fiddle. After ten years of studying traditional melodies, ornamentation and recordings, he moved to Glasgow, where the rich session scene and Scottish music community became inspiring influences. For the past two years, traditional music has been his profession, with most work centered on ceilidhs through his band Gle Mhath Ceilidh Band, organizing and performing public ceilidhs in Glasgow. His band Ape House released their debut album last October, bringing together traditional and original tunes from across the UK and Ireland. This year has seen professional development through the Distil 2025 residency and organizing charity fundraisers, while he currently holds the All-Britain Fleadh senior fiddle competition title, making participation in this competition a long-standing goal.
Ewen Rorie – Fiddle (Orkney)
Growing up in Orkney, Ewen began fiddle lessons with Jennifer Wrigley at age ten, with music always present at home through his grandfather’s recording studio where he listened to artists like Ivan Drever. During school, he played in the band ‘Belt Hid Oot,’ recorded an album, and performed with the local Strathspey and Reel Society. He formed the band ‘Skeldro’ with friends – four fiddles and piano – who still perform together despite living in different cities. His musical idols include Jennifer Wrigley, Margaret Robertson, Maurice Lennon, and Tom Orr, whose technical brilliance and distinctive styles influence his playing. He’s performed with the Shetland Tattoo fiddlers internationally in Edinburgh, Oslo, Düsseldorf, and Sydney, with favorite performances including reuniting with Skeldro after two years apart and memorable moments with his pianist friend Andrew at the Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival.
Gregor Niven – Accordion (Glasgow)
Gregor’s musical journey began through his mother’s fiddle playing and exposure to bands like Treacherous Orchestra, leading him to start accordion at age seven after attending Glasgow Fiddle Workshop. His musical education included RCS Juniors, Douglas Academy Music School, and various Fèis programs, notably Strands led by John Somerville, where he performed twice at the Royal Concert Hall. After initially pursuing classical accordion, he found his passion lay elsewhere and left formal training, maintaining his interest through Fèis Fhiort lessons with Megan MacDonald. The turning point came during a Ceilidh Trail, where a summer of touring and playing traditional music reignited his enthusiasm. In 2024, he took on greater responsibility in the Argyll Ceilidh Trail, culminating in a performance at MOK Fest, and has since been taught by Andrew Waite while continuing to write and collaborate with other musicians.
Iona Fyfe – Scots Song (Aberdeenshire)
Iona grew up singing in bothy and traditional ballad competitions hosted by the Traditional Music and Song Association, learning folksongs through folk clubs, singarounds and festivals. Her interest in Scots Song stems from its ability to tell real-life stories of people from her area, with ballads hundreds of years old remaining remarkably relevant today, particularly those addressing violence against women and girls. After studying Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, she’s been inspired by North East source singers like Lizzie Higgins, Jane Turriff and Lucy Stewart, alongside protest singers like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Her passion for Scots Song has evolved into activism, successfully campaigning for Spotify to recognize Scots language and contributing to the Scottish Languages Bill (2025). In 2023, she became the youngest Rector in the University of Aberdeen’s 500-year history, with notable performances including directing shows and festivals across Europe, the US, Canada and Australia.
Rachel Groves – Lever Harp (Aberdeenshire)
Rachel grew up learning lever harp with Alison Bell in Aberdeenshire, developing a deep connection to traditional music for its ability to transmit rich cultural history while remaining an evolving tradition with space for creative exploration. Influential harpists including Maeve Gilchrist, Catriona Mackay and Esther Swift have shaped her playing through lessons and listening, while her studies at Berklee College of Music (Valencia) and the University of Edinburgh allowed her to incorporate elements from jazz, classical and global folk music styles. She has received recognition including the best original composition award from Maeve Gilchrist at the Princess Margaret of the Isles Memorial Prize and the Iain McLeod Young Composer’s Award from the Edinburgh International Harp Festival. Her freelance career includes leading the Scolty Harp Ensemble in North East Scotland, teaching with organizations like Scottish Culture & Traditions, and composing works such as her suite ‘Dr Neil’s’ for lever harp and strings.
About the Award
The BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year remains the premier award for young traditional musicians in Scotland. Previous winners include Anna Massie, Hannah Rarity, Mohsen Amini of Talisk and Imar, Michael Biggins of The Canny Band, Kristan Harvey of Fara, Eryn Rae, Calum McIlroy and last year’s winner Ellie Beaton.
For more information visit www.bbc.co.uk/youngtrad