HANDS UP FOR TRAD ANNOUNCE CHORUS COMMUNITY MUSIC AWARDS 2017 WINNERS AFTER PUBLIC VOTE
Hands Up for Trad unveiled the winners of the Chorus Community Music Awards 2017 by streaming to audiences worldwide via Facebook Live today (Thursday 22nd June).
The Chorus Community Music Awards 2017 are in their inaugural year. They celebrate the talent behind Scottish community music, by honouring groups and individuals, who dedicate their lives to promoting music in their community. Winners were decided following an online public voting process via the Hands Up for Trad website.
Highlights from the list of winners include: Gleniffer Singers, Dreghorn Musical Society and Maria Barclay and The Shetland Dialect Singing Project, who all took home the Milestone award. This award recognises choirs, leaders and members celebrating a significant milestone. All three winners are this year celebrating important anniversaries, with these awards marking their achievements in bringing people together through music.
Another notable win was the Scottish Borders Youth Brass Band, who triumphed in the Young People category. The group beat off stiff competition to take home the award after they were crowned winners in the senior section of the Scottish Youth Brass Band Championships. This achievement brought them qualification for the European Youth Brass Band Championships, in which they made history as the first ever brass band from the Borders to compete at this level.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Susie Kelly, a truly worthy recipient as her lifelong love affair with folksong has led to her sharing songs with audiences of all ages at home and abroad, organising workshops and festivals and leading community singing groups.
Other winners included Iain Fraser who picked up the Educators Award; Rookie Rockstars for Fundraising and Support for Charity Award; Cheyne Gang for the Accessibility Award; and finally, Dee Ukes who won the Music and Health Award.
Hands Up for Trad exists to promote Scottish traditional music through education, information and advocacy to artists, audiences and participants throughout Scotland and beyond. Hands Up for Trad are supported by Creative Scotland, the development body for the arts and creative industries in Scotland.
Event Founder and Hands Up for Trad Creative Director, Simon Thoumire, said: “The Chorus Community Music Awards celebrate how music enables people to enjoy and learn from making music with each other and how it enriches their lives. We’re delighted to showcase the outstanding practice and great things going on in Scotland’s communities as we honour the people who work behind the scenes to help others. Congratulations to all our deserving winners.”
Full list of winners can be found below.
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Chorus Community Music Awards 2017
Full list of winners
Passing It On – Educators Award – Iain Fraser
Charity Champions – Fundraising and Support for Charity Award – Rookie Rockstars
Young People – Under 25s Award – Scottish Borders Youth Brass Band
Altogether Now – Accessibility Award – Cheyne Gang
The Music Cure – Music and Health Award – Dee Ukes
The Milestone Award – Gleniffer Singers, Dreghorn Musical Society, Maria Barclay and The Shetland Dialect Singing Project
Lifetime Achievement Award – Susie Kelly
www.chorusawards.scot