MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016: Hamish Napier

Congratulations to Hamish Napier who have been nominated in Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016. Vote now!

We asked Hamish Napier of Hamish Napier the following questions.

Tell us about yourself
Hello, I'm a multi-instrumentalist and composer from Strathspey, living in Glasgow. Here's what some folk have said about me:

“Napier is one of the finest musicians in Scotland….his music is invigorating, passionate and steeped in tradition.” TMSA

“Excellent flautist/whistle player…” The Guardian

“…one of Scotland’s busiest and most multi-faceted folk musicians…a beautifully eloquent singer…” Sunday Herald

“…ingenuity for harmony.” The Skinny

“Deeply Soulful…” The Scotsman

“Top-class musician” The Herald

I have been lucky to work with many of Scotland’s leading musicians, including Capercaillie’s Karen Matheson and Donald Shaw, Phil Cunningham, Margaret and Martyn Bennett and Eddi Reader. I toured internationally as a founding member of award-winning folk quartet 'Back of the Moon'. These days I play in a daredevil folk duo with fiddle ace Adam Sutherland called 'Nae Plans'. I also play with Glasgow folk/funk group 'Man’s Ruin' and Irish piper/vocalist Jarlath Henderson. I'm the piano player and dance-caller with the 'Cask Strength Ceilidh Band' too! I've also recently performed appeared with Findlay Napier's VIP, Gary Innes, Ross Ainslie, Iain MacFarlane, Chris Stout and Finlay MacDonald, amongst others. In the last decade and a half, I've recorded on nearly 40 folk albums.

Why are you involved in Scottish music?
I am so lucky to have been given many musical opportunities by friends, family and community music projects, for which I am eternally grateful.

Music began at home: my mother is a clarsach player and singer, my father is a keen music enthusiast and my brother (Findlay Napier) is a professional songwriter. I tried to learn classical piano and flute but was much more strongly drawn to Scottish and Irish music: Michael McGoldrick, Flook, Capercaillie, Paul Brady, Dougie MacLean and others!! I was so lucky to have an awesome high school music teacher who encouraged trad music, as well as 'Feis Spe' (my local Gaelic music summer camp) where I got my first experience of folk sessions, and through which I met other young Highland musicians.

I moved to Glasgow to study Astronomy & Physics but my heart was in the music the whole time! After graduation it was straight into the tour van for 4 years with (with Back of the Moon)! I later decided to go back to uni to study music, gaining an Applied Music degree at the University of Strathclyde and receiving a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA (for jazz piano and composition)

I also love to teach Scottish music. A thousand thank yous to GFW, Easterhouse Arts Project, Stow College, RSAMD/RCS, the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton, the UHI, and others for giving me the chance to share my music with keen students.

Any particular career highlights?
Most of all, I'm really grateful to have had opportunities to play and share musical ideas with so many brilliant musicians over the years.

My Celtic Connections New Voices composition 'The River', which premiered at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, has been album of the week on four BBC radio stations and is receiving excellent reviews: ★★★★★ “Scintillating…brilliantly vivid” The Scotsman

Awards: MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 'Best Folk Band' (with Back of the Moon') and nominations for Best Up and Coming Artist (2), Music Tutor of the Year, Album of the Year (4) and Live Act of the Year (with 'Nae Plans').

What are your plans for the future?
Take my project 'The River' on tour next year and launch my bespoke 1:1 music tutoring network. I'm also currently writing a soundtrack for Grantown East Culture & Heritage Centre in my hometown at the moment, to be released in 2017.

I'd just love to be able continue to perform, compose, record, call ceilidh dances, teach and share Scotland's native music, taking it to people across the world who haven't heard Scottish music before. I love working with musicians I play with at the moment – and there so many others the folk, jazz and indy scene that I hope to get the chance to work with. My dream would be to compose music for films and TV. I'd like to do more cross-genre collaboration and to be involved with pioneering advances in technology and musical instrument design (flutes, whistles, keyboards and software).

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.