Rachel Groves (Lever harp) is the winner of BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2026.
Broadcast live on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC ALBA on Sunday 1 February, the event brought six outstanding young traditional musicians to Glasgow’s City Halls, where they competed for the coveted title.
Rachel grew up learning the lever harp in Aberdeenshire. A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Valencia and the University of Edinburgh, she draws on elements from jazz, classical and global folk music styles to explore the rich textural and rhythmic possibilities of the instrument. Alongside playing and composing, Rachel leads the Scolty Harp Ensemble in the North East and teaches lever harp as well.
Rachel said “It’s amazing to win and I am in shock! To have played in this space alongside such talented performers is incredible. I’d like to thank my first harp teacher, Alison Bell who joined me here this evening.”
WATCH THE FINAL HERE ON BBC ALBA (UK ONLY)
LISTEN ON BBC RADIO SCOTLAND HERE
Hayley Valentine, Director, BBC Scotland, said: “What a wonderful night celebrating Scotland’s young musical talent. Each and every performance was remarkable and shines a light on just how strong and diverse Scotland’s traditional music scene is. Our audiences, whether listening on BBC Radio Scotland, watching on BBC ALBA, or sitting here at City Halls, could not fail to be uplifted by their talent. The judges had a very hard task to choose a winner. Huge congratulations to Rachel on lifting the title and congratulations to all the performers for entertaining us so brilliantly tonight.”
First established in 2001, the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year competition provides talented young musicians with performance opportunities, tools and mentoring to support their professional careers. It marks the first of this year’s Radio Scotland’s esteemed music competitions, including the Young Classical Musician of the Year, the Young Jazz Musician of the Year, and BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year.
Rachel competed alongside five other talented musicians, including:
Iona Fyfe (Scots song)
Iona grew up in Aberdeenshire attending bothy and traditional ballad competitions. She studied Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and continues to be inspired by the source singers of the North East. Singing in Doric has been a lifelong passion which has led her to tour across Europe, North America and Australia. Iona is also a Scots language activist and is the current Rector of Aberdeen University, the youngest in its five hundred year history.
Craig Harrison (Fiddle)
Craig’s love of traditional music began in County Clare in Ireland when he was seven years old and started learning the fiddle. He now calls Glasgow his home which is where he lives and works as a professional musician. His main focus is playing at ceilidhs with his band the Gle Mhath Ceilidh Band. He also plays with Ape House who released their first album last year and have performed all over Scotland and beyond. He is also a former champion of the All-Britain Fleadh senior fiddle competition.
Calum McGregor (Piano and Piano Accordion)
Calum began his musical journey at the age of five through Irish Minstrels CCÉ, a Comhaltas branch in Glasgow. He competed regularly through Comhaltas, taking part in Ceilí Band and Grúpaí Cheoil performances, as well as solo competitions. He competes in the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann every year and won the Senior Piano competition there. He works as a professional musician and has toured throughout Europe and the UK. More recently, he’s been performing as the piano player with Celtic Steps, an Irish dance show based in County Kerry…
Gregor Niven (Accordion)
Gregor started playing the accordion when he was seven and attended the Royal Conservatoire Juniors and the Douglas Academy Music School in Milngavie. Under the tutelage of Megan MacDonald, he took part in the Ceilidh Trail at Fèis Fhiort. A regular on the Glasgow session scene, he is currently taught by Andrew Waite and has just formed a new band.
Ewen Rorie (Fiddle)
Ewen grew up in Orkney and started to learn the fiddle with acclaimed fiddler Jennifer Wrigley when he was ten. He also played with the local Strathspey and Reel society. When he moved away for university, he formed his own band Skeldro and still performs with them now. He has played with the Shetland tattoo fiddlers in Edinburgh, Oslo, Dusseldorf and Sydney.
As well as winning the prestigious title of BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician, Rachel also won an additional recording session with BBC Radio Scotland, a performance at the Scots Trad Music Awards, a concert at HebCelt 2026 and one year’s membership of Musicians’ Union.