Congratulations to Alice Allen who has been nominated in Original Work of the Year sponsored Musicians’ Union in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2024. Vote for Alice Allen now!. It’s going to be another great night at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 30th November in Inverness Leisure. Why not join us for a brilliant night of music and awards. Buy a ticket here.
We asked Alice of Alice Allen the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
Alice Allen, an up-and-coming cellist with deep roots in Classical training and Traditional Scottish Music, is releasing a new album titled Bass Culture – Live at Celtic Connections 2024.
Bass Culture is Alice Allen’s contribution to the ‘New Voices’ legacy at Glasgow’s annual Celtic Connections festival. Recorded live in January 2024, this album is Alice’s first project of original compositions, inspired by traditional themes and her rich musical life as a freelance cellist living in Scotland. It is her tenth album release, building on a body of work spanning four years and many happy collaborations including the album anthology Strathspey Queens with fiddler Patsy Reid, Where The Good Ship Lands with fiddler Alastair Savage and Stone, Salt & Sky with Delphian Records. Just like Alice’s day job, her writing sits across many styles and influences. In some instances, it begins to take on a film score type quality. Bass Culture showcases Alice’s unique voice as not only a cellist but as a composer.
The album focuses on the cello, an instrument often overlooked in the traditional music scene, yet Alice demonstrates its versatility in both traditional and modern compositions. Her eclectic journey as a musician, grounded in the rich traditions of Scottish folk, brings a fresh perspective to the instrument. Bass Culture celebrates the deep, resonant tones of the cello while pushing the boundaries of what it can accomplish in contemporary settings.
This project speaks directly to the importance of keeping the "human touch" in music, especially as technology increasingly dominates the industry. Bass Culture is a powerful reminder of the emotional and soulful essence that live music brings—something that no AI-generated track could replicate.
Bass Culture features nine tracks and eight original works, three of which are expanded versions of tunes recorded by Alice’s folk trio Lyre. The music is influenced by Alice’s love of groove and stories of the everyday. Her influences are mutli-layered; she leans on her ability to easily express emotion through music, taking the listener through peaceful contemplation, anger, upset, grief and joy. At the same time, the album pays homage to the historical Scottish Bass Lines of the Golden Age of Fiddle Music, something Alice remains both passionate and ever inspired by. Bass Culture challenges the assumption the folk music is fundamentally melody-based.
This album was expertly captured by Keir Long at the New Auditorium, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. It was mixed, mastered and co-produced in another great collaboration between Alice and Stuart Hamilton of Castlesound Studios. It features an all star line-up, a band of eight of Scotland’s most outstanding musicians. The album was recorded live and at a time where AI, autotune and digital enhancements are common place in the industry, the is album is a bold counter-statement about preserving the authenticity and soul of live music.
Why are you involved in Scottish music?
I grew up in Banchory, Aberdeenshire and every year from a young age I attended Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas' fiddle camp on The Isle Of Skye. Scottish Music has always been my passion and love, and after studying cello in Manchester at the RNCM, I returned home to immerse myself in the immense musical scene of Scotland. It is such a wonderful melting pot of traditional music, jazz, folk and classical and we are SO lucky and unique placed globally, to have such incredible strands of music making all culminating together geographically in this country. For our size, we really pack a punch, and I'm forever delighted and grateful to be involved in such an inspiring and welcoming scene.
Any particular career highlights?
– Playing cello for Mercury Nominated album Bad With Names, Corto Alto
– Co-wrote the title track for Dancing at Lughnasa with Hannah Peel for the National Theatre, London
– Playing Celtic Colours finale concert with Julie Fowlis
– New Voices commission
– Travelling to India performing with BBC SSO
– Performing at the Wigmore Hall with The Scottish Ensemble
– Playing with Capercaille and Nicola Benedetti for Edinburgh International Festival
What are your plans for the future?
I can't wait to see where the next line of creativity takes me. I plan to finish my SGSAH funded part time PhD on the historical basslines of Scottish Traditional Music, continue the album anthology Strathspey Queens with Patsy Reid, and keep writing and making music surrounded by this amazing and every inspiring traditional scene. I'm so excited to see what comes next!
Alice Allen Social Media
Website: https://www.aliceallencello.com/
Facebook: N/A
Twitter: @AliceAllenCello
Instagram: @alice_in_cello_land
YouTube: @AliceAllenCello
TikTok: N/A
The 2024 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are on the 30th November 2024 in Inverness Leisure Centre! You will be able to watch it live in person (buy a ticket here). Watch it live in the UK at 9pm (GMT) on BBC ALBA and and around the world here. Bands performing on Saturday 30th November include Julie Fowlis, Skipinnish, Laura Wilkie and Ian Carr, Highland Young Musicians and Arc Fiddlers, An Dannsa Dub, BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award winner 2024 Calum McIlroy and more!
If you would like to support Hands Up for Trad in their work with Scottish trad music and musicians why not become a friend of Hands Up for Trad. In addition to our high profile events like the Scots Trad Music Awards, we also deliver a less well known, education programme for young people from 8yrs right through to young adults at the start of their careers. Read more here.
