Congratulations to Laura Penman who has been nominated in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2025. Vote now! It’s going to be another great night at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 6th December in Aberdeen Music Hall. Why not join us for a brilliant night of music and awards. Buy a ticket here.
We asked Laura of Laura Penman the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
I’m a clàrsach player, pianist and tutor based in Glasgow. I enjoy teaching all ages and stages, from 4 year olds just starting school, to those wanting to sit grade 8, to adults who have never played an instrument before and want to try.
I grew up in Edinburgh, and I began playing the clàrsach at primary school whilst in Gaelic Medium Education. When I was in high school, my clàrsach teacher at the time, Charlotte Peterson, recommended that I applied for the RCS Juniors. I attended Juniors for three years, which showed me that being a successful traditional musician was a viable option. I then went on to study on the BMus Traditional Music course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and graduated in 2024. During my time there, I was immersed in tradition and inspired by musicians from around the world, working in the Scottish traditional idiom, as well as exploring other genres of music.
Without the support I received from my teachers, I would never have believed that a career in traditional music was possible. However the encouragement from them is what pushed me forward. Since moving to Glasgow in 2020, I have grown my career; performing across Scotland, composing, and continuing to build on my own teaching skills. I have been so proud to hear that some of my students are applying to study music, and I hope to keep inspiring my pupils in the same way that I was inspired.
As well as this, I always want music to be fun for my students. Hearing that piano or clàrsach is my students favourite ‘club’ is just as rewarding as hearing about those who choose to study music further. I strongly believe that music education is so important, and I regularly see music help my students confidence grow.
I teach in both English and Gaelic. I think it is so important for my Gaelic speaking students to see a tutor using Gaelic regularly. I have had pupils enter and place at both local and national mòds, and I always encourage them to perform at a mòd or concert if they feel they want to.
I attended Fèis Dhùn Èideann when I was younger, and have been grateful to return as a tutor, first as an assistant tutor for the February main Fèis in 2020. I was also asked to cover teach some of the weekly sessions. Since early 2023, I have been the permanent clàrsach tutor at the Fèis, teaching all ages and stages throughout primary and high school.
I have been lucky to teach with Glasgow Council’s CREATE service over the last year, teaching clàrsach in schools across Glasgow. As well as teaching privately, I tutor, or have tutored, harp and piano at multiple music schools weekly, such as Glasgow Children’s Music School, Grants Music School, and Edinburgh School of Music. I also enjoy teaching at weeklong workshops such as Fèisean, and have been the clàrsach tutor at the ‘The Gaitherin’ music weeks in Aberdeenshire since 2022.
As well as teaching, I love to perform and write music, both as a soloist and with others. I am part of an all-female band, Dàna, and I hope to inspire girls that are interested in traditional music. I’m feeling incredibly lucky that Dàna are also nominated in the ‘Up and Coming Artist of the Year’ category this year at the Trad Awards. My pupils are always asking where they can see me perform, and it is so lovely to see them in audiences, or have them ask me to ‘show me how to do that cool strumming thing you did there!’
Why are you involved in Scottish music?
Music has always been an integral part of my education. Attending primary school through GME meant that I was taking part in Gaelic choirs, clàrsach ensembles and folk groups from an early age. There was a local fiddle group called ‘Pilrig Fiddlers’ at the end of my street which I also attended, and I remember being so excited and inspired by traditional tunes and songs. Although I did initially learn classical piano, I became much more interested in the creative and collaborative possibilities in Scottish traditional music, so I switched to having trad piano lessons with James Ross in my late high school years.
I have always loved arranging traditional tunes and writing music in the same style, and I aim to give my students the same freedom to be creative with their own playing.
I have had some wonderful music tutors throughout my life, and I still feel as though I am always learning. Keeping traditional music alive and exciting is so important, and I hope I can continue to be a role model for those that are learning, and allow my students to get the same joy out of this music that my tutors gave me.
Any particular career highlights?
This time last year, I was selected as a finalist for the Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2025 competition. This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had, and I am so grateful that I was able to perform at the City Halls alongside five other incredible musicians.
Getting the opportunity to teach clàrsach for the Glasgow City Council over this last year has been a totally new experience. I have loved it and I have found it so rewarding to tutor so many pupils, from primary 4 up to those sitting their higher exams.
Being asked to be the clàrsach tutor for Fèis Dhùn Èideann in 2023 was really special to me, as I had learnt so much there when I attended as a child.
My band, Dàna, received a Danny Award at Celtic Connections 2025, and from that we have been lucky to perform across Scotland, including festivals such as Belladrum, Eden Court and the Reeling. We have also began to record our first album.
I took part in the Distil Composition Residential, which improved my composition skills, as well as giving me lots of teaching ideas! Through Distill, alongside the other participants, I was commissioned to write a piece for McFalls Chamber Group to play.
I recorded some harp parts for Beth Malcolm’s wonderful album, ‘Folkmosis’.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to continue building and learning from others so that I can grow my own teaching knowledge. I hope to release some teaching materials for learners to use and improve on outside of lessons.
I would love to start a clàrsach ensemble at some point in the next few years. Part of what encouraged me to continue studying music when I was younger were the collaborative opportunities, and I would love to be able to offer this to younger learners.
I have made plans to work on my own solo music as well, and have began to write a tune book. I plan to include the tunes, as well as beginner and intermediate/advanced harp arrangements, so that those who use it can learn new skills, and potentially create their own arrangements of the tunes using some ideas in the book.
As well as this, I hope to record my own solo EP in the next year, and continue to perform with Dàna.
Laura Penman Social Media
Website:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurapenmanmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurapenmanmusic?igsh=c2hmem1zczdycDZi&utm_source=qr
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The 2025 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are on the 6th December 2025 in Aberdeen Music Hall! 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. Hosted by Scottish personalities Alistair Heather and Mary Ann Kennedy, the night in the Granite City will also welcome live performances from some of the brightest lights on the thriving trad scene today including beloved singer Hannah Rarity, UK folk legends The Poozies, trad pop band Mec Lir and BBC Radio scotland Young Traditional Musician and Scots Performer o the Year Ellie Beaton and many 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.