MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016: Daniel thorpe

Congratulations to Daniel thorpe who have been nominated in Music Tutor of the Year sponsored by Creative Scotland Youth Music Initiative in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016. Vote now!

We asked Daniel Thorpe of Daniel thorpe the following questions.

Tell us about yourself
Daniel, originally from Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, was educated at The National Centre of Excellence in Plockton and completed his degree in Scottish Music at the RCS in Glasgow. In 2010 Daniel won BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year. He has gone on to build his career teaching at various projects throughout Scotland, including GFW, the RCS, the Aberdeen International Youth Festival and YMI in Stirling as well as having numerous private pupils. Along with this he plays gigs and ceilidhs across Scotland and Europe with a number of different groups. Daniel has made his home in Dunblane and most recently was a guest tutor at Stirling Orchestra in their televised bid to win the BBC’s All Together Now – The Great Orchestra Challenge.

Why are you involved in Scottish music?
I have a passion for traditional music but in particular music education. I enjoy trying to inspire and develop players to help them to get the most out of their music, whether that be for pleasure or as a possible career path. I wholeheartedly believe that the benefits of playing music, especially traditional music, to both personal and social development are massive and to be able to help students with this is an honour.

Any particular career highlights?
Highlights include winning BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2010, being asked to setup and run a YMI project in Cowie, Stirling to help put music into schools and a community where very little existed. Being asked to tutor at the AIYF which had been a massive part of my musical education through the Splore and Ceol Mor courses.

What are your plans for the future?
To continue to develop my knowledge of music education, help my students to achieve their personal goals and try to pass on my passion for traditional music to as many people as possible!

If you would like to come along to the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in Dundee’s Caird Hall call the Caird Hall box office on (01382) 434940 or buy online.