Congratulations to Ross Miller who has been nominated in Original Work of the Year sponsored Musicians’ Union in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2024. Vote for Ross Miller 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 Ross of Ross Miller the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
Ross Miller hails from Linlithgow in central Scotland and now resides in Glasgow.
His debut album – The Roke – was released to critical acclaim in early 2020 followed by a tune book titled The Roke Collection. This has been followed by four successful single releases with another scheduled for early 2025.
The Ross Miller band features a wealth of Scottish music talent, including Charlie Stewart (BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year), Rory Matheson (Fara, Trip), Graeme Armstrong (formerly Talisk), Ross Saunders (formerly Manran) and Rory Grindlay (Skipinnish).
A multiple World Champion piper, Ross began piping aged 7 and was the Pipe Major of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland. He is a member of the Grade 1 Inveraray and District Pipe Band.
He holds a First Class Honours Degree in Traditional Music – Piping from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Ross was also a finalist in the 2019 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year competition.
Ross has performed extensively around the world as well as appearing on BBC Hogmanay Live and performing solo on the roof of Murrayfield Stadium. Since 2022 he has been a full time touring member of the world famous Red Hot Chilli Pipers.
Why are you involved in Scottish music?
From an extremely young age Ross expressed an interest in playing the bagpipes, he would even make them out of bottles and kitchen roll tubes! He learned to play as soon as he was able and joined a pipe band band aged 10 and has forged an extremely successful career in that area of the traditional music scene.
Ross was first introduced to piping in a folk context by Sharon Hassan as part of West Lothian Schools Folk ensemble when he was 14. He played Border pipes, began to start playing Whistles and gained experience in arrangement and performance alongside other instruments. The band played at many local concerts and events and each year were given the opportunity to go to a Celtic Connections concert to give insight into the broader Folk Music experience.
Building on these early experiences and the discipline required in the pipe band proved to be a great recipe for allowing him to forge a career in Scottish music spanning, teaching and performing and everything in between.
Any particular career highlights?
Ross has been fortunate to have many exciting opportunities and awards in his career to date. Some highlights include:
Following the successful release of two new singles, Ross played a sold-out, self-promoted show with his band in Glasgow in August 2024.
In June 2024, Ross performed at the Glastonbury festival with the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, it was very humbling to play the bagpipes on such a prestigious, international stage.
His debut album ‘The Roke’ was released in 2020 to critical acclaim and was shortlisted for ‘Trad Album of the Year’ at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.
In 2021, Ross performed along with a group of pipers on the soundtrack of the OSCAR & BAFTA award winning film 'Dune'. He also, appeared live on Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women on ITV.
In 2016, Ross won a Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections in a duo with long time friend and collaborator, Charlie Stewart.
Ross won a Young Scot of the Year award for heritage aged only 12, remaining the youngest person to be awarded the accolade.
What are your plans for the future?
Ross looks forward to continuing with his diverse career in 2025 with some exciting shows and festivals scheduled for the Ross Miller Band as well as a new single set for release alongside touring the world with the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.
Ross Miller Social Media
Website: http://www.rossmillermusic.com
Facebook: @ RossMillerMusic
Twitter: @RossMillerMusic
Instagram: @ RossMillerMusic
YouTube: @ RossMillerMusic
TikTok: @ RossMillerMusic
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.
