Following a competitive selection process, the twelve semi-finalists have been announced for the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2026. These exceptional young artists, representing a diverse range of traditional Scottish instruments and vocal traditions, will compete for the prestigious title and the opportunity to launch their careers in traditional music.
The Semi Finals Weekend (Friday 10th – Sunday 12th October 2025) will take place at BBC Pacific Quay in Glasgow. The event will be recorded for BBC Radio Scotland and televised for BBC Alba. This is the musicians’ chance to rehearse with professional accompanists and meet their fellow finalists.
The Grand Finals (30th January – 1st February 2026) will take place at the prestigious Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, where the Winner will be crowned the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2026.
The winner will receive an additional recording session with BBC Radio Scotland, a performance at the Scots Trad Music Awards and one year’s membership of Musicians’ Union.
The 2026 Semi-Finalists:
- Calum McGregor – Piano and Piano Accordion (Glasgow)
- Claire Frances MacNeil – Gaelic Song/Voice (Barra and Fort William)
- Craig Harrison – Fiddle (Co. Clare, Ireland / Glasgow)
- Ewen Rorie – Fiddle (Orkney)
- Gregor Niven – Accordion (Glasgow)
- Iain Cormack – Gaelic Song (Skye)
- Iona Fyfe – Scots Song (North East Scotland)
- Josiah Duhlstine – Cello (Mesa, Arizona / Scotland)
- Kenneth Macfarlane – Whistles (Glasgow)
- Lachie Robinson – Guitar, Vocals, Tenor Banjo (Knoydart peninsula)
- Rachel Groves – Clarsach (Aberdeenshire)
- Ruairidh Iain Buxton – Bagpipes and Flute (North-west coast of Scotland)
Meet the 2026 Semi-Finalists
Calum McGregor – Piano and Piano Accordion 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.
Claire Frances MacNeil – Gaelic Song/Voice Raised in Barra and Fort William, Claire Frances was immersed in Gàidhlig and traditional music through her family and communities from a young age. She received early guidance from Barra singers including Ruairidh Pheadar Ròraidh, Chrissie Mary Denny, and Mary Flòraidh MacKinnon, later working with renowned figures like Cathy Ann MacPhee and Maggie MacInnes. Her deepest training came during postgraduate study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland under Iseabail T. MacDonald’s mentorship, which profoundly shaped her academic and performative understanding of Gaelic music and poetry. In 2024, she was honoured with the Traditional Gold Medal at the Royal National Mòd and will be the first to graduate with an RCS Masters in Gaelic Song in 2025, with upcoming projects including collaborations with diverse traditional musicians.
Craig Harrison – Fiddle 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 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 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.
Iain Cormack – Gaelic Song Brought up in a family of Gàidhlig singers, Iain has been heavily immersed in Gàidhlig song and culture throughout his life. Like his father, sister, and brother before him, he won the An Comunn Gàidhealach Gold Medal for singing at the Royal National Mòd in 2023, marking a definite career highlight. Many songs in his repertoire come from his father’s recordings, while his mother was a prolific song collector during her youth in Dunvegan, Skye. His first teacher was Kirsteen Graham, to whom Skye’s children owe gratitude for providing opportunities to learn Gàidhlig songs. Recent mentors include Kenna Campbell from Greepe and Kenneth Thomson, former Musical Director of the Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association. His diverse influences span from Runrig and Calum Kennedy to The Beatles and Eagles, and he’s an experienced choir singer with the Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association and vice-conductor of Portree Gaelic Choir.
Iona Fyfe – Scots Song 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.
Josiah Duhlstine – Cello Josiah began learning traditional music in a small fiddling community in his hometown of Mesa, Arizona, before moving to Scotland in 2018 to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, focusing on both Classical and Traditional Music. He draws deep inspiration from very traditional Scottish tunes as well as the current state of the Tradition, while also being heavily influenced by Bluegrass and Old-time music from North America. His unique approach to traditional music through the cello brings a fresh perspective to the genre, bridging classical technique with traditional Scottish and American folk styles. His cross-cultural musical journey from the American Southwest to Scotland represents the global nature of traditional music communities, demonstrating how musical traditions transcend geographical boundaries while maintaining their distinctive characteristics and cultural significance within different regional contexts.
Kenneth Macfarlane – Whistles Kenneth has been immersed in traditional music since childhood, initially exposed through his parents’ Capercaillie CDs before developing an obsession with bagpipes. After years of bagpipe study and obtaining a degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he discovered his love for whistle. He now performs and tours globally with bands including Heron Valley, Beatha, and Carnan, while regularly appearing with genre-modernizing bands like Valtos and Face The West, where his true passion lies. Kenneth has released several singles under his own name, with BBC Radio play and a special BBC Introducing performance at Celtic Connections. His upcoming EP will feature a innovative mix of traditional tunes and contemporary self-composed pieces, incorporating elements from other genres including sampling vocals from 70s soul hits and drum loops from Hip Hop and R&B, representing his commitment to pushing traditional music boundaries while respecting its roots.
Lachie Robinson – Guitar, Vocals, Tenor Banjo Music started for Lachie with his upbringing on the Knoydart peninsula, where his father’s family were boat builders who played folk music and seafaring songs, while his mother studied classical viola at Cambridge before switching to fiddle after falling in love with the Highlands in the early 90s. Their adventurous spirit and the beautiful landscape meant traditional music was always present in his life. Rather than being pushed into learning music, his parents surrounded him with it, allowing his passion to develop naturally. He attended local Feisean, developed a keen musical ear, and discovered a talent for creating sound, particularly writing his own tunes, songs, and compositions. His musical career began appealing during his Lochabair Ceilidh Trail experience, leading to guitar studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, bigger stages including Celtic Connections, and founding his trio band Ape House, though COVID interrupted his trajectory temporarily when he returned home to help with the family croft.
Rachel Groves – Clarsach Rachel grew up learning clarsach 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 clarsach and strings.
Ruairidh Iain Buxton – Bagpipes and Flute Growing up on Scotland’s north-west coast, Ruairidh was surrounded by Gaelic, Highland culture, and traditional music both at home and in the wider community. As a Gaelic speaker, traditional music has always felt like a natural part of his identity and upbringing. His musical education progressed from early lessons with his mother to local piper Alasdair Fraser, who supported him through competitions and ceilidhs during his teenage years. After studying at Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd in Plockton under Ian MacFadyen and continuing with Iain MacDonald in Benbecula, he completed his BMus (Hons) in Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland under Willie McCallum and Ross Ainslie. He regularly participates in Glasgow’s session scene and is a member of west coast bands Ceol an Aire and Rhuvaal, co-leading the Glè Mhath Ceilidh Band, with notable performances at festivals including Lorient, Cambridge Folk Festival, and Celtic Connections.
For more information about the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2026, visit www.bbc.co.uk/youngtrad
Previous BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musicians 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.