Hands Up for Trad’s Women in Music and Culture 2025 list has been announced to celebrate just some of the women working in Scotland.
Launched as part of International Women’s Day 2025, we shine the spotlight on 12 women who all contribute towards Scotland’s cultural landscape through their work. Read the 2025 list here.
We asked Mary MacMaster to tell us more about her work, influences and ambitions for the future.
How did you first get involved in the arts and who were your early influences?
I was in my primary school recorder group. We won the Greenock Music Festival!
Early influences, Dusty Springfield, the Beatles and the Stones!
Found folk/trad music in my late teens.
Alain Stivell’s Renaissance of the Celtic Harp was my Eureka moment.
In a time when many artists and creative professionals are facing significant challenges, how have you developed and evolved your creative practice over the past few years?
I am lucky enough to have been asked to collaborate with other performers.
For me, this is the best way to develop and evolve.
Since lockdown this has included working with Rodrigo Romanes’ amazing Orchestra Son de Seu in Galicia, with Anne Wood, in her play When Mountain’s Meet and, of course, with Eilidh Shaw, Sarah McFadyen and Mike Bryan in the continuing story of the Poozies.
Past members Patsy Seddon, Karen Tweed and Tia Files were also very important for my musical evolution.
Who or what interests you creatively?
I am fascinated by the upsurge of women in the creative arts – my feeling is that we were always here, it’s just we don’t get written about by those who write the histories. This also goes for social/cultural/political history.
What are your plans for the next year or so and/or what are your longer term creative ambitions?
This year I am working on a project with Donald Hay for the next Trad Fest.
It is called For the Love of Trees. The other musicians are Mairearad Green, Ciaràn Ryan, Pete Harvey and Amy MacDougall.
Find out more about Mary MacMaster here.
Read the Hands Up for Trad’s Women in Music and Culture 2024 List
Hands Up for Trad are an organisation who work with Scottish traditional music, language and culture. If you would like to support our work you can donate here.
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