Young musicians from a record-breaking 172 schools across Scotland gathered in Kilmarnock on Sunday for the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships, marking the largest number of schools ever involved in the event’s 12-year-history. Held at the William McIlvanney Campus, the Championships welcomed fifty-one bands and ten quartets from every corner of the country, with 90% of […]
Newsletter
Hands Up for Trad’s Women in Music and Culture List 2026.
We are thrilled to announce Hands Up for Trad’s Women in Music and Culture List for 2026, celebrating just some of the extraordinary women who contribute to Scotland’s vibrant music and cultural landscape. Since our inaugural list in 2023, this initiative has grown into one of our most cherished annual celebrations, and every year we […]
Battle of The Folk Bands – The videos!
We are very happy to tell you that videos of Battle of The Folk Bands 2026 are now available to watch. So much great music! Here they are in running order! Evie Waddell BandKetuThe Way North (The winners!)RaiveltÀirdan Battle of The Folk Bands 2027 will launch in September 2026 so subscribe to the Hands Up […]
Skerryvore to host huge World Cup Warm Up in aid of Street Soccer Scotland
Skerryvore will host a huge World Cup Warm Up in aid of Street Soccer Scotland, it has been announced, taking over Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom on Saturday 23 May 2026 for a full-tilt celebration of Scottish music, football nostalgia and national pride. With the World Cup wait finally over for Scotland football fans, Skerryvore had to mark the occasion in unforgettable fashion. It’s been a generation […]
The Edinburgh FluteFling returns to the Heart of Newhaven Centre 27-29 March 2026
The Edinburgh FluteFling returns to the Heart of Newhaven Centre 27-29 March 2026, featuring another lineup of some of the finest traditional flute and whistle players. We’re delighted to announce that this year’s tutors are Claire Mann (Dumfries and Galloway), Tina Jordan Rees (Glasgow) and Hammy Hamilton (County Cork, Ireland). All three will be performing and teaching over the weekend, which includes […]
The Royal Highland Show Partners With The Reeling To Bring Popular Trad Festival To Scotland’s Capital
A major new partnership is set to bring one of Scotland’s most exciting contemporary folk festivals to the capital for the very first time. For one day only on Saturday 20 June, the Royal Highland Show will partner with renowned trad music festival The Reeling to bring The Royal Highland Show presents The Reeling to […]
Tradition in Motion: Celebrating 30 Years of Traditional Music at Scotland’s National Conservatoire – new freelancer day rate
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s upcoming conference, Tradition in Motion: Celebrating 30 Years of Traditional Music at Scotland’s National Conservatoire, takes place from Tuesday 31 March to Thursday 2 April 2026 in Glasgow The conference are delighted to be welcoming degree founder Jo Miller as keynote speaker, as well as those who have had similar impacts on traditional […]
North Atlantic Fiddle Convention (NAFCo) 2026 – Can you help?
North Atlantic Fiddle Convention (NAFCo) is the only event in the world that brings together a music festival and an academic conference dedicated to the fiddle and dance traditions of the countries surrounding the North Atlantic. It is a unique space where artists, academics, musicians, enthusiasts and audiences come together to share ideas, research, traditions […]
Speyfest to welcome Natalie MacMaster, Elephant Sessions and Kim Carnie
“From Nova Scotia to the North East”: Celtic superstars join Fochabers festival line up More names have been added to a show-stopping Speyfest 2026 line up, with female and international talent leading the charge, from Friday 24 – Sunday 26 July. Ontario-based Celtic superstar Natalie MacMaster, celebrated Scottish songstress Kim Carnie, multi-award-winning Scots singer Ellie Beaton and Boston-based fiddle fusion group Scottish Fish are […]
UHI North, West and Hebrides launches first Traditional Music Residency in South Uist
Allan Henderson The residency offers an immersive weekend of traditional music-making, bringing together confident players of fiddle, piping, accordion, and guitar for intensive workshops, informal sessions and shared learning. The programme is rooted in the landscape, culture, and Gaelic traditions of South Uist, offering participants a unique opportunity to deepen their music skills while drawing […]