Congratulations to Gillian Fleetwood who has been nominated in Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2024. Vote for Gillian Fleetwood 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 Gillian of Gillian Fleetwood the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
Gillian is a Scottish harper, composer, and singer, known as a key-player in the Scottish Harp scene from her work with The Duplets, solo and as a respected tutor and examiner.
In 2024, she released her first fully self-composed solo album, “Together With Yourself at Sea Level”. It was recorded on a rare 210-year-old Erard harp at Hospitalfield House in Arbroath and explores themes of recovery and resilience as well as putting the harp in glorious soundscapes with brass, strings, percussion and muli-layered vocals. The album was co-produced by Gillian with mercury award and multiple SAY award nominee C Duncan and has received great critical acclaim, including praise from BBC 6 Music’s Guy Garvey and a 4-star review in the Scotsman.
Why are you involved in Scottish music?
Gillian grew from the fèis scene in the Highlands of Scotland and has never stopped loving the culture, traditions and roots of Scottish music. Although she is from a background in traditional music, she also spends much of her time playing pop, indie and experimental music, working with such songwriters as Pictish Trail, Agnes Obel and Adam Ross. Despite this, she is passionate about bringing Scottish traditions to other cultures and has found that sharing your own music opens doors to alternative ways of seeing in the world, and for that she will always be grateful.
Any particular career highlights?
Traveling the world, exchanging experiences and being asked to perform my own music will always be an immense privilege. However, having a track remixed by David Lynch was also a highlight. On a more personal level, I'm also so proud of my solo record as coming back to music performance after such an intense period of ill-health and trauma has been really challenging but also deeply rewarding. This nomination has been the cherry on the cake in feeling like I'm coming back to myself and I have so much more to give.
What are your plans for the future?
To keep writing, keep learning and keep recording! I'm delighted to be working with 3 of Scotland's current best song-writers, but I also need to keep the focus on my own development. I'm in the process of setting up a workshop in Glasgow selling harp strings, repairing and maintaining harps and this is also an exciting new venture as there's no-where for the harp community to currently get anything done in the central belt. However – writing music and adding to the Scottish repertoire will always be my greatest love. The feeling of creating melody that twists and dances to express something that words cannot is one of life's greatest pleasures.
Gillian Fleetwood Social Media
Website: https://www.gillianfleetwood.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gillianfleetwoodmusic
Twitter: @gillfleetwood
Instagram: @gillianfleetwood
YouTube: @gillianfleetwood5422
TikTok: @
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.
