Congratulations to GFW – Glasgow Folk Music Workshop who has / have been nominated in Community Project of the Year sponsored by Isle of Barra Distillers in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2026. Vote for GFW – Glasgow Folk Music Workshop now! It’s going to be another great night at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 5th December in Paisley Arena, Lagoon Centre. Why not join us for a brilliant night of music and awards. Buy a ticket here.
We asked Finlay of GFW – Glasgow Folk Music Workshop the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
GFW was founded in 1992 by Dr Jo Miller with six students to teach fiddle by ear. It has since grown into a year round organisation teaching fiddle, cello, accordion, bodhran, whistles, guitar, ukulele, banjo and song to approximately 400 students a term. Members include adults in their 70s learning an instrument for the first time to juniors, some of whom will go on to become professional musicians.
GFW is run by a part-time professional administrator and a team of volunteers. We have an extensive group of professional and semi-professional tutors who are highly experienced performers and educators. Many are award-winning musicians, recognised for their work in Scottish traditional music.
During the year GFW also runs Come-and-Try taster sessions to hundreds more participants at Celtic Connections. Alongside these are workshops in schools and the community, performances for events such as Maggie's Fundraisers, Maryhill Against Racism, Springburn Unity Network, Refugee Week and the Commonwealth Games, and a number of ceilidhs, including an open air event at Kelvingrove every June which now hosts about 800 dancers and audience annually as a key part of WestFest. The work of GFW can also be accessed online and in pub sessions.
GFW's aim is to support Traditional Music and to encourage increasingly diverse communities to participate in its rich heritage. GFW actively encourages beginners and those with little knowledge of formal music.
Any particular career highlights?
The annual Kelvingrove Ceilidh is always a highlight as the outdoor area in front of the museum fills with dancers of all nationalities and all levels of knowledge of Scottish dancing. It typifies the work of GFW as Scottish Traditional Music is brought to a wide and increasingly varied audience. GFW ceilidhs during Refugee week have also been extraordinarily moving as attendees completely unfamiliar with Scottish Traditional Music and Dance have taken to the floor. But most of all the highlight has been seeing GFW grow from a small class of six to the huge enterprise it is today: students range from beginners of all ages right through to highly experienced musicians trying a new style of music or a new instrument. It is also more than simply a place to learn music. GFW is a community of players of all abilities who are offered the chance not only to learn an instrument but also to attend sessions, play gigs and take part in social events throughout the year.
What are your plans for the future?
GFW wants to continue the work we are doing: teaching music to the increasingly diverse community that makes up Glasgow today. Based in Springburn we actively encourage local participation and we are also keen to expand the work of the Juniors. Our Come and Try sessions regularly encourage new members and events like the Kelvingrove Ceilidh and gigs in Central Station, the Transport Museum, Balgrayhill Community Centre and the Panopticon Theatre alongside many others, are designed to introduce audiences to Scottish Traditional Music. We will keep building our links with the community. We will keep building our website which currently holds more than 500 tunes with tab, musical notation and music arranged for multiple instruments. With no funding we aim not just to survive but to continue to thrive. If a new National Company for Traditional Music is set up, we will also hope to be part of the conversation about the best way to support and enhance the place of Traditional Music in Scotland today and for the future.
GFW – Glasgow Folk Music Workshop Social Media
Website: http://gfw.scot
Facebook: @GFW @ Glasgow Folk-Music Workshop
Listen to music: http://
The 2026 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are on the 5th December 2026 in Paisley Arena, Lagoon Centre! You will be able to watch it live in person (buy a ticket here).
Hosted by Scottish personalities Alistair Heather and Mary Ann Kennedy, the night will welcome live performances from some of the brightest lights on the thriving trad scene today including Valtos, Gnoss, Sian, Fèis Phàislig, Spodo Komodo and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Rachel Groves 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.