The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards celebrated its 13th year in style tonight (Saturday 5th December) with a glittering awards ceremony which was their biggest and best yet – as the awards were streamed worldwide for the first time ever. Full list of winners below.
Broadcast live on BBC ALBA, BBC Radio Scotland and globally through the BBC ALBA website, the prestigious awards – organised by Hands Up for Trad – saw stars of the Scottish music scene take to Dundee’s Caird Hall to celebrate and honour the very best of traditional talent.
This year’s notable winners include Treacherous Orchestra, who clinched the coveted Album of the Year award, sponsored by Birnam CD, for their second album ‘Grind’, while founding band member, Ross Ainslie, scooped PRS for Music’s Composer of the Year. This year has been a busy one for the band, having toured the UK promoting the album to rave reviews. Ross Ainslie, has weaved tour dates around the band’s to promote his collaborations with some of the biggest names in trad and also worked with Greg Lawson on the orchestration of Martyn Bennett’s GRIT – Celtic Connections Opening Concert, which was awarded Event of the Year on the evening.
Other winners of the prestigious prizes included Gaelic Singer of the Year winner, Griogair Labhruidh, who beat off stiff competition from Alyth McCormack, Ainsley Hamill and Fiona J MacKenzie. Griogair has made a name for himself in recent years as not only a talented singer but also as a tutor and performer in Gaelic rap, bringing the language to a more mainstream audience through eclectic events across the country.
Greentrax Recording’s Live Act of the Year went to Rura, who’s energetic live performances has earned them national acclaim and a string of sold-out shows in 2015, despite having formed only a couple of years ago. Their line-up is made up of some of the biggest names on the Scottish folk scene, including Adam Holmes, Steven Blake, Jack Smedley, David Foley and Adam Brown – each having played individually across the globe.
Pipe Band of the Year went to Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band, who wowed 50,000 music fans at Glasgow Green this summer when they won the heralded 2015 World Pipe Band Championships, becoming the first Scottish band to win the title in 10 years.
Event Founder and Hands Up for Trad Creative Director, Simon Thoumire, said: “This was our first year in Dundee and it was more than worth the wait. We’ve had a spectacular night with tremendous talent being celebrated, so congratulations once again to tonight’s nominees and worthy winners. Year upon year, we see some of the best talent in the world come to these awards and we are humbled to see our 13th year one of the biggest and best yet, with support from the public and acts continuing to grow.
“We would also like to thank the Caird Hall, for being such warm hosts, Dundee City Council for their overwhelming support this year and MG ALBA for their continued contribution to the awards and allowing the whole world to tune in and enjoy the evening with us – we can’t thank you enough for your support.
“We’re delighted to announce that in 2016 the Scots Trad Awards are staying put and will return to Dundee’s Caird Hall on 3rd December – so keep your eyes peeled for more exciting news in 2016.”
The evening saw performances from some of the country’s best loved acts, including the legendary Peatbog Faeries, who will celebrating 25 years of music in 2016, world-renowned fiddler Duncan Chisholm and Gaelic singer Cathy Ann MacPhee and Winner 2015 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of The Year singer, Claire Hastings, before the night was concluded by a fantastic ceilidh.
Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said: “It was great to see Scotland’s traditional music being celebrated along with Gaelic language and culture at the Scots Trad Awards, and to know that the event was broadcast worldwide on BBC ALBA bringing Scotland’s traditional music to a global audience. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our unique languages, culture and music and last night all three were brought together to celebrate Scotland’s rich heritage. I would like to congratulate all the winners and everybody involved in putting on such a great event.”
Iseabail Mactaggart, Director of Development and Partnerships, said: “Hands Up for Trad and MG ALBA have worked successfully in partnership for the past eight years to showcase some of Scotland’s finest performers and celebrate our rich musical culture, spanning the Scottish Gaelic, Scots and English languages.
For the first time this year, Na Trads were streamed worldwide via www.bbc.co.uk/alba. Making BBC ALBA’s content available to bigger and new markets is just one of the benefits that ensue from successful co-productions such as Port, a BeesNees/TG4 series, which won the award for Trad Music in the Media tonight. Co-production is not only an aim in itself, it is vital to enhancing the success of our creative sector, pooling resources and reaching new markets, exposing them to Scotland’s content and rich cultural heritage.”
Stuart Fleming, Senior Manager of event sponsors PRS for Music of PRS for Music, said: “PRS for Music are delighted to be here in Dundee to celebrate the vast wealth of talent in Scotland’s Traditional Music scene. We’d like to congratulate all tonight’s nominees and winners”
Ian Smith, Head of Music at Creative Scotland, said: “The Trad Awards are an important part of Scotland’s cultural life, celebrating our indigenous creative culture in music brilliantly. Congratulations to all of the winners, nominees and to Dundee on their hosting such a prestigious event.”
For more information, quotes, interviews and images, contact Wire Media:
Victoria Irvine | victoria@wire-media.co.uk | 07951 365 636| 0141 648 9610
www.handsupfortrad.co.uk/tradmusicawards
The full winners list for this year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards:
Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CD – Grind by Treacherous Orchestra
Club of the Year sponsored by Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland – Orkney Accordion and Fiddle Club
Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music – Ross Ainslie
Community Project of the Year sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust – Live Music Now Scotland
Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland – GRIT: Celtic Connections Opening Concert
Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by Macmeanmna – Griogair Labhruidh
Instrumentalist of the Year sponsored by Royal Scottish Country Dance Society – Mairi Campbell
Live Act of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings – Rura
Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association – Fiona Hunter
Scottish Dance Band of the Year sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs – Simon Howie
Scottish Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Threads of Music – Dàimh
Pipe Band of the Year sponsored by The National Piping Centre – Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band
Trad Music in the Media sponsored by Skipinnish – Port, BBC ALBA
Music Tutor of the Year sponsored by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative – Jenn Butterworth
Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – League of Highland Gentlemen
Venue of the Year Award – SEALL at Sabhal Mor Ostaig
EDITOR’S NOTES
The Scots Trad Music Awards are produced by Hands up for Trad and supported by:
MG ALBA
MG ALBA is the operating name of Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig (Gaelic Media Service). MG ALBA works in partnership with the BBC to deliver BBC ALBA. Find out more about MG ALBA and the partnership at www.mgalba.com or visit www.bbcalba.co.uk for scheduling and programme information.
FMG ALBA
Is e MG ALBA ainm-gnìomh Sheirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig. Tha MG ALBA ag obair ann an co-bhanntachd leis a’ BhBC airson BBC ALBA a’ libhrigeadh. Airson barrachd fiosrachaidh mu MG ALBA agus mun cho-bhanntachd faic www.mgalba.com no tadhal air www.bbcalba.co.uk airson fiosrachadh mu chlàran agus phrògraman
GLENFIDDICH
To find out about our Classic, Explorers and Pioneers Tours, please visit www.glenfiddich.com. Follow us @GlenfiddichSMW and www.facebook.com/Glenfiddich
CREATIVE SCOTLAND
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. We distribute funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. For further information about Creative Scotland please visit www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @creativescots and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
