Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin Big Band. The EYG Big Band is a three-day programme for ages 13–18. It will be led by some of Scotland’s finest musicians, who will support participants to learn traditional music together and create their own arrangements as a group. The workshops will take place at Deaf Action (49 Albany Street, Edinburgh) on 26 April, 3 and 4 May, then move to Traverse Theatre on 5 May. and we would love to see you there! You can find out more by visiting here.
We asked tutor Dave Milligan a few questions.
Follow Dave on Instagram: @@thedavemilligan
Tell us about your self:
I am a jazz pianist and improviser, but my musical interests have always flowed between different musical genres. I am also a composer, arranger and musical director with a passion for blending musical styles.
I’ve been a professional musician for over 30 years and have been lucky enough to work with a huge variety of musicians, including: Mark Knopfler, Larry Carlton, The McCrary Sisters, Art Farmer, and Trilok Gurtu. Musical projects and collaborations include Karine Polwart, Simon Thoumire, Colin Steele, Breabach + The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and Sting Sisters, featuring Liz Carroll, Annbjørg Lien, Liz Knowles, Emma Härdelin, Catriona Macdonald and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh.
My most enduring partnership is with harpist, singer and composer, Corrina Hewat. Together, we launched several influential projects, including The Unusual Suspects; a 22-piece big-band of leading folk and jazz musicians that inspired the wave of large-scale ensembles that followed. I love working with big groups and get to work on some fantastic projects, writing and arranging works for large-scale ensembles down to solos, duos, string quartets and numerous arrangements for small groups. For over a decade now, I have collaborated closely with the charity Love Music under the artistic direction of Stephen Deazley and am the pianist for their 350-strong Community Choir, based in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.
As an educator, I was a founding Musical Director of Perthshire-based youth folk orchestra The Gordon Duncan Experience, and have been a guest tutor at numerous youth learning projects, including: Fèis Rois, FolkworksYouth Summer School, Tinto Summer School and Hands Up For Trad’s Distil. I taught piano and Creative Skills at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and have been a guest tutor at Newcastle University, UHI and The Irish World Academy of Music & Dance in Limerick.
What’s your favourite album track?
Far, far too many to pick one!
What’s your favourite colour?
What sparked your interest in playing music?
An Oscar Peterson record that my dad owned. Then my brother started buying all kinds of music for his record collection. I wanted to pay all the instruments!
Who was your first music teacher?
My first piano teacher was a neighbour. He was kind and patient but I didn’t enjoy playing the music he was teaching me. When I was able to study jazz, it all clicked. I studied at college with a great teacher called Bill Kinghorn.
What’s your most memorable performance or teaching moment?
Playing with the Unusual Suspects to 50,000 people at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
What do you like to do when you’re not making music?
Make art, make food, walk!
Which musician (living or historical) would you most like to have dinner with?
Duke Ellington
Find out more about Dave at their website https://www.davemilligan.co.uk/
This year we have a number of ticket options to enable young people to attend EYG Big Band:
Free places
Pay What You Can – whatever is available to you at this time. This ticket option also works as a Donation, if you would like to contribute towards another young person’s place. William Grant Foundation are lending us their generous support this year to subsidise more places. Without this, a place at EYG Big Band would be around £350 per person.
Partially-subsidised £60 + booking fee
General ticket £150 + booking fee
If you have any questions about the event or would like more information, please contact Sarah Hayes at eyg@handsupfortrad.co.uk. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any additional support measures for your young person attending EYG 2025.
If you would like to support Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin (and Hands Up for Trad), your donations, however small help us keep ticket costs down and enable young people who would not otherwise get the opportunity to attend. You can donate here.