![\"\"](\"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/files\/2025\/03\/Seonaid_Aitken_Glasgow_Green1_CROPPED-300x300.jpeg\")
Hands Up for Trad\u2019s Women in Music and Culture 2025 list has been announced to celebrate just some of the women working in Scotland. <\/p>\nHands Up for Trad\u2019s Women in Music and Culture 2025 list has been announced to celebrate just some of the women working in Scotland. <\/p>\n
Launched as part of International Women\u2019s Day 2025<\/a>, we shine the spotlight on 12 women who all contribute towards Scotland\u2019s cultural landscape through their work. Read the 2025 list here<\/a>.<\/p>\n We asked Seonaid Aitken<\/strong> to tell us more about her work, influences and ambitions for the future.<\/p>\n How did you first get involved in the arts and who were your early influences?<\/strong> 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?<\/strong> Who or what interests you creatively?<\/strong> What are your plans for the next year or so and\/or what are your longer term creative ambitions?<\/strong> Find out more about Seonaid Aitken here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read the Hands Up for Trad\u2019s Women in Music and Culture 2024 List<\/p>\n
\nI was lucky to grow up in a musical household – my Dad played Scottish Country dance music on the accordion and my Mum played Classical piano. They took me to the Glenrothes Amateur Musical Association rehearsals instead of getting childcare (they met as dancers in the company) and I just sat at the back being immersed in the music of what I now know as The Great American Songbook. I then started violin lessons through school and Johann Sebastian Bach became my hero – I still use his harmony and counterpoint rules when arranging music. I was experimenting with the piano at home, too – I played by ear at first and enjoyed transcribing music by Nina Simone, Jamiroquai and 90s dance tunes alongside studying the works of Debussy and Chopin.<\/p>\n
\nNow that the music world seems to be back in full flow, I do find myself juggling many projects at the same time and so, to speed up my creative process when writing or arranging music, I often go back to improvising for my ideas. Instead of pouring over a melodic line to figure out what works best in theory, I simply hit record on a voice note and trust what I instinctively play. I can then go in and tweak certain elements, but I think you get the best flow if the music is allowed to just come naturally. I\u2019m lucky that I\u2019ve improvised since a very early age so there\u2019s no creative barriers when working in this way.<\/p>\n
\nBeing a musician who plays Jazz, Classical, Folk and Country\/Bluegrass styles, I\u2019m always interested in how these genres can meet. I remember my mind being blown by the Punch Brothers when they melded their signature Bluegrass, improvisatory style with a more Classical approach, and I continue to be inspired by artists who embrace all of their influences in their music. Japanese culture is also a big creative influence on me – having lived in Tokyo for 18 months playing Irish music for Disney! My cross-genre album Chasing Sakura reflects the appreciation for the cherry blossom season there and, after a recent trip, I\u2019m working on some new ideas featuring historical female figures from the Kamakura period.<\/p>\n
\nI\u2019m currently playing Country fiddle and backing vocals in the premiere run of Wild Rose – a new musical – at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh, and my Gypsy Jazz band Rose Room is releasing their 4th album \u2018It\u2019s Been a Long, Long Time\u2019 on Friday 18th April. We\u2019re celebrating our 15th anniversary this year and I\u2019ve been busy putting together tour dates throughout 2025 for us to promote the album. In the Summer I\u2019ll make my annual pilgrimage to the Django Reinhardt Festival in France to soak up inspiration and jam with like-minded players from around the world, and I\u2019ll be returning to teach at the Grappelli-Django Camp in The Netherlands. I\u2019ll also be performing and recording with trumpeter Colin Steele\u2019s Jazz\/Folk project \u2018Stramash\u2019 this year and I\u2019m excited for the release of Scottish Folk collective Staran\u2019s new album – which I\u2019ve just arranged and recorded the strings for with my top crossover string team Kristan Harvey, Patsy Reid and Alice Allen.<\/p>\n