I was sitting watching Angus Lyon and Duncan Lyle’s New Voices Revisited Concert last Sunday in Celtic Connections (Mitchell Theatre) and I was looking at the general age of the bands. They struck me as all being in their late twenties early thirties (apologies in advance if I’ve guessed wrong!). I never found this unusual in any way but I suppose I had been thinking of these guys as the young generation of Scottish music. They’ve all been pushing the barriers of the music for some time now with bands like Treacherous Orchestra, Angus Lyon and Ruaridh Campbell, Box Club, Croft Number 5 and many other outfits. However being that age means that they’re not the young generation anymore. I find this thought really exciting.
It’s exciting because I can now see so many generations of Scottish musicians. From the young people from the Feisan, Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin, Comhaltas in Glasgow, Gordon Duncan Experience, Splore, Tinto Summer Schools and more to the current crop of BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musicians (including all the the folk that submitted an entry back in July 12). Then there is the afore mentioned ’30 year olds’, my generation of 40’s (early!) and I can keep on going to the many tradition bearers inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame and so many more inbetween. How lucky are we! So much experience to be shared and passed on.
Of course there is always work to be done and many ways we can make it better for our musicians but what an amazing place to be in. Here’s to the the next generation!