Young Trad Musicians

Michael Biggins wins BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021


The winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2021
Michael Biggins
photographs by Alan Peebles

Pianist Michael Biggins has been named BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician for 2021. 

The 23 year-old, originally from Newcastle but now living in Glasgow, accepted the award from Gareth Hydes, Commissioning Editor, BBC Scotland, in a year that saw a very different finale to the prestigious competition.  Instead of the usual performances in front of a capacity audience at Glasgow’s City Halls, Covid restrictions saw the event moved to a socially-distanced setting at BBC Scotland’s HQ at the city’s Pacific Quay.  

Presented by Bruce McGregor and Joy Dunlop, the event was broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC ALBA.  Although a scaled down event, the performances were first-class, and judges were enthralled by Michael’s stage presence.

Winner Michael said: “The other finalists and I were delighted that the competition could go ahead this year because so many other events have had to be cancelled. It’s been a difficult year to be a performer, so winning this title has given me such a boost and a hope for better things to come. I know it’s been a springboard for many past winners, so I’d love to follow in their footsteps.”

Previous winners of the award include piper and whistle player Ali Levack, who took the title last year and performed during this year’s event and Hannah Rarity who had the honour of singing Auld Lang Syne earlier this month on BBC Scotland’s Hogmanay 2020.

Each of the six finalists turned in stunning performances, broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC ALBA, but Michael had the edge during an evening of superb entertainment.  Gareth Hydes, Commissioning Editor, BBC Scotland, said: “A lot of extra effort had to be made this year to make sure that the event could go ahead in such challenging circumstances, but we’re delighted we could make it happen to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the competition.

“As ever, we were blown away by the sheer talent on the stage and it’s always very difficult to choose just one winner. Michael’s performance was breath-taking, an absolute celebration of the rich and vibrant traditional music scene we’re so lucky to enjoy in Scotland.

“I want to join all the other judges in congratulating him, and hope that in the coming months we’ll see some signs that we can once again fully embrace our nation’s fantastic live traditional music scene.”

Michael studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, splitting his time between the classical and traditional music courses. He currently performs with bands TRIP, The Canny Band and Northern Company but has also made appearances with Eabhal, Kathryn Tickell and the Jarlath Henderson Band.

Michael wins a recording session with BBC Scotland, he will perform at the Scots Trad Music Awards to be held in December 2021 and be given a one-year membership to the Musicians Union.

All finalists get a one-year membership to the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland (TMSA) plus the opportunity to take part in the TMSA’s annual Young Trad Tour scheduled for 2022.

Organised by BBC Radio Scotland, the Young Traditional Musician competition has been increasing the profile of Scottish traditional music and recognising rising talent in the genre since 2001.

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The other 2021 finalists were:

Ellie Beaton – Voice (Aberdeenshire) Ellie has been interested in traditional music from a young up with Traditional and Bothy Ballads alike.  She studied Classical Voice at Aberdeen City Music School and having performed alongside Malinky, has been described as ‘a singer to be reckoned with’ by Hands up for Trad.  Throughout 2020 Ellie qualified for the Bothy Ballad Champion of Champions competition at Elgin where she competed against the best Bothy Ballad singers in the country.  Now attending the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland studying Classical Vocal Studies, Ellie hopes to graduate then progress onto becoming a full time musician.

Iona Fyfe – Voice (Huntly) Iona grew up going to sing-a-rounds, folk clubs and folk festivals in the North East where she met tradition bearers and younger exponents of the tradition such as Janice Clark and Shona Donaldson. Whilst a lot of Iona’s influences comes from revivalist singers she found great inspiration in online archive recordings from sites such as the National Library of Congress and Kist of Riches. She gained an FLCM in Traditional Voice from London College of Music and graduated from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with a first class honours degree in Traditional Music in 2019. Iona has performed all over the world including Folk Alliance International, New Orleans, Czech Republic, Fergus Grand Theatre, Ontario and Festival Interceltique de Lorient.

Lucie Hendry – Lever Harp (Aberdeenshire)  Lucie became hooked on traditional music during her early childhood as a result of her Dad’s interest in the music. Artists and bands such as Afro Celt Sound System, Caperceilidh, Lau and Catriona McKay were key influences which drove her passion for music. After studying at Plockton’s National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music, Lucie graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2018 with a first class honours degree in traditional music. Notable performances include premier receptions for film productions Mary Queen of Scots and Outlaw King, as well as a reception at Holyrood Palace in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Lucie currently performs in fiddle and Scottish harp duo, Aves o’ May.

Bradley Parker – Bagpipes (County Down, Northern Ireland)  Bradley began playing the Highland Bagpipes 19 years ago and won the ‘Young Musician of the Year’ award in Northern Ireland, 2011. He has been lucky to perform at a variety of venues such as; The House of Commons, Glastonbury Music Festival, as well as solo performances at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Avenches Tattoo in Switzerland. Bradley now studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is a 3x World Pipe Band Champion.

Graham Rorie – Fiddle (Orkney)  Graham is an Orcadian fiddle and mandolin player based in Glasgow. In 2018 he graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with honours of the first class. Before moving to Glasgow I was taught by Douglas Montgomery (Saltfishforty/The Chair). Graham is a founding member of quartet ‘Gnoss’ who released their album ‘Drawn From Deep Water’ in April 2019. Graham has appeared at a range of festivals including Celtic Colours (Canada) and Festival Interceltique de Lorient (France)

Ends

EMBARGOED PICS until 20:01pm tonight (31/1/2021)
The winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2021
Michael Biggins
photographs by Alan PeeblesFor further info:

Dawn Hill

dawn.hill@bbc.co.uk

07710 861 439

 

Lucie Hendry: Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021

Lucie Hendry from Auchenblae (Aberdeenshire) is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021. The finals will be held on 31st January 2021 at 5pm. Listen live on BBC Radio Scotland. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/youngtrad

We asked Lucie the following questions:

How did you get involved in Scottish music?
I was exposed to Scottish music from a very young age as my dad played Scottish fiddle music. The earliest concerts that I can remember where from my family camping holidays to the west coast of Scotland where my parents would always take my brother and I to see a concert in the local village hall. My earliest memories were that of Mairearad Green & Anna Massie and Julie Fowlis, performing in Lochinver village hall and being in a sense of awe at how these musicians were performing on stage.

I started learning piano from the age of 5 and my teacher at the time also played lever harp which I was particularly drawn to, and at the age of 8, I began harp lessons. Over the years, I found myself listening to Scottish music more and more, and would definitely say that it was my preferred listening genre during high school, contrary to what my peers listened to!

A defining moment in which Scottish music really ‘clicked’ for me was during my early teens, listening to an album we had at home: Green Linnet Records – 25 Years of Celtic Music, and to one song in particular, The Houghs of Cromdale, by Andy M. Stewart and Mánus Lunny. I was so captivated by the instrumentation, lyrics, melody and chord progressions that I kept playing the song on repeat. I felt more connected with my Scottish heritage through listening to that song and wanted to be part of this ‘world’ which I discovered over time, was in fact the Scottish music tradition.

It was when I moved to Plockton’s National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in my final school year, that was the opening of a more creative journey in Scottish music. I learned to contribute to the tradition through collaboration with other musicians and my own personal composition. It was also during this time that my eyes were opened to the possibility of a career in music, to which I then decided to pursue.

Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
Ever since moving to Glasgow to study, and hearing the competition being broadcast on radio in my student halls room, I have had a vision to be a part of it. Since graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2018, I have been working as a freelance musician, building my musician profile and creating new music. The competition is an excellent opportunity in a young musician’s career as it provides an incredible platform to get their name out to the wider music industry while increasing performing and collaboration opportunities.

I have always wanted to see the harp being fully recognised as the incredibly versatile instrument that it is and I want to represent and promote the instrument in the best way I can. I believe the competition is an ideal platform to show what the harp has to offer.

What do you hope to gain from the experience?
I hope to gain exposure in the wider music scene of the work that I am creating and to increase performance and collaboration opportunities with other musicians. I have a passion for collaboration and would love to work in a wide variety of music settings including performance, session and recording work.

Do you have any particular musical highlights?
One of my favourite gigs was in Brussels, November 2019. I was over there with my duo, Aves o’ May, representing Live Music Now Scotland for Scottish Government celebrations of St. Andrews day. In my opinion, one of the best parts of working as a musician is that occasionally you end up playing in a situation you would never have imagined. On the last night of our visit to Belgium, we had been booked to play a St. Andrews Day ceilidh. It transpired that our venue location was a marquee tent, filled with Christmas trees, in the middle of a car roundabout, surrounded by EU buildings… I played and called the ceilidh dances for a highly enthusiastic audience of Belgians and Scottish expats. The power even cut out during the night at one point because of the generators! I will always remember that gig fondly because of the completely unexpected situation and the wonderfully enthusiastic people that attended the event that were just so keen to dance!

Another occasion that stood out for me was during my studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where group work was a weekly part of our course work. One of my collaborations comprised of harp, fiddle (Bernadette Kellermann) and nyckelharpa (Petrus Dillner). This was the first opportunity I had to play with a nyckelharpa musician and it was a truly enjoyable experience becoming more familiar with Swedish folk music and working in such a unique combination of instruments. I remember the gig that we performed our material at was so high in energy and just felt really great!

What are your plans for the future?
I plan to get an ensemble collaboration project up and running with Swedish-based harpist, Justyna Krzyżanowska, as we have both been working on repertoire over the past year for that. I also plan to start a folk/jazz fusion project with Danish-based drummer, Christoffer Skovhus. I love music theory and always want to expand my musical knowledge as well as adapting harp techniques for a diverse range of musical settings. I am also aiming to record a solo album of original repertoire in the near future. I plan to keep working in my current duo, Aves o’ May, and to organise a Christmas tour of the Christmas album that we released in November 2020!

Asides from this, I feel very passionate about seeing young people strive and live into their potential while stewarding their talents well. I would like to work with high school young adults, sharing my experiences within the music industry so far, encouraging them to respond to their natural abilities and pursue a career path that they will feel a real sense of fulfilment and purpose in.

Listen in to hear Lucie Hendry at the Grand Finals on Sunday 31st January at 5pm. Read about the other finalists here.

Bradley Parker: Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021

Bradley Parker from Portavogie, County Down, Northern Ireland is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021. The finals will be held on 31st January 2021 at 5pm. Listen live on BBC Radio Scotland. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/youngtrad

We asked Bradley the following questions:

How did you get involved in Scottish music?
I’ve been playing the Bagpipes since the age of 4. I performed in many piping competitions as a soloist and as part of band, where most of the repertoire consisted of traditional Scottish tunes!

Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
I love performing music and decided the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award would provide a great platform for me to both express and challenge myself.

What do you hope to gain from the experience?
I hope to showcase my own compositions and style as a performer, as well as being able to play with/listen to amazing musicians throughout the process!

Do you have any particular musical highlights?
Playing at Celtic Colours International Festival in 2019 is definitely a highlight for me. I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to perform here, as well as meeting & listening to many musicians that have inspired me. Playing at Glastonbury Music Festival is also a highlight!

What are your plans for the future?
I plan to release a lot of my own music, and perform as much as possible. I also plan to release music with a newly formed band ‘Harbour Road’, and tour with various projects. I’m lucky to do a lot of teaching at the moment, I plan to keep this going too!

Listen in to hear Bradley Parker at the Grand Finals on Sunday 31st January at 5pm. Read about the other finalists here.

Iona Fyfe: Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021

Iona Fyfe from Huntly, Aberdeenshire is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021. The finals will be held on 31st January 2021 at 5pm. Listen live on BBC Radio Scotland. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/youngtrad

We asked Iona the following questions:

How did you get involved in Scottish music?
Gan tae TMSA ballad competitions, folk clubs an festivals in Aiberdeenshire fae bairnhuid. I graduated fae ‘e Royal Conservatoire o Scotland wi a degree in Traditional Music. Fin I wis studyin, I lairnt sangs fae Margaret Bennet, Rod Paterson an Fiona Hunter.

Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
The competition an the tour thit entrants ging on efter is sic a great opportunity tae collaborate wi ither braw musicians an get mair experience o tourin tae different airts an pairts. I enterent the competition in 2017 fan I wis 19 year aul, an got tae the final. I feel thit I hae gained a wheen mair experience syne an thocht I’d enter again.

What do you hope to gain from the experience?
Wi COVID, aa o the tours an opportunities thit I hae warikt fir hiv a been postponed or cancelled. Bein pairt o the competition his gien me structure an sammin tae wark towards an pit me in the mindset o haen a wee sing ivery day. Ower 2020, I hinna been performin ower muckle, an I hope tae be pairt o a high profile performance, it will gie me motivation an a bit pressure tae get masel in gear!

Do you have any particular musical highlights?
• Performin at the Scots Leid Awards
• Performin wi my band at Festival Interceltique de Lorient

What are your plans for the future?
Campaignin wi Oor Vyce tae pit pressure on the Scottish Government tae pass a Scots Language Act. Recordin my seicond album in 2021, hopefully tourin it in 2022!
A hae twa singles comin oot in March an April 2021 ower on my Bandcamp. Baith were produced, engineered an mixed by fellow finalist Graham Rorie, fa also played on the singles tee. https://ionafyfe.bandcamp.com/music

Listen in to hear Iona Fyfe at the Grand Finals on Sunday 31st January at 5pm. Read about the other finalists here.

Michael Biggins: Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021

Michael Biggins from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021. The finals will be held on 31st January 2021 at 5pm. Listen live on BBC Radio Scotland. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/youngtrad

We asked Michael the following questions:

How did you get involved in Scottish music?
When I was 14 I joined a youth folk band playing the tuba, after deciding that I hated the tuba and everything it stood for, I bought a cheap piano accordion on gumtree and began learning tunes. I still have nightmares about the tuba.

Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
Playing traditional piano, I have mostly accompanied other people and have rarely tried solo piano. I thought entering the competition would give me an opportunity to explore playing the piano as a lead instrument.

What do you hope to gain from the experience?
It’s rare to get to play on such a nice stage and piano, especially in the current climate! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again and playing some music live!

Do you have any particular musical highlights?
I once did a gig as Jimmy Carrs accordion-playing body double for a comedy panel show. Since then its been a steep decline into poverty and now I have to play with The Canny Band and TRIP (Debut album coming soon!)

What are your plans for the future?
Since March of last year there’s been a strange dry patch of work for a lot of musicians. Perhaps one day audiences will be legal again but until then, Ive got enough bread to last until next Wednesday and when my giro comes in, I might just treat myself to a Kit-Kat.

Listen in to hear Michael Biggins at the Grand Finals on Sunday 31st January at 5pm. Read about the other finalists here.

Ellie Beaton: Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021

Ellie Beaton from Rothienorman, Aberdeenshire is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021. The finals will be held on 31st January 2021 at 5pm. Listen live on BBC Radio Scotland. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/youngtrad

We asked Ellie the following questions:

How did you get involved in Scottish music?
I grew up in a Doric speaking family so I had always been surrounded by the traditions and culture of the North-East. Although my family weren’t particularly musical, we would all enjoy singing songs together. My interest in Scottish Music, I think, stems from my original love of Doric poetry and Highland Dancing! Throughout the summer months, I was dragged along to all the ceilidhs to perform as a Highland Dancer but usually ended up doing more singing than dancing!
My first musical memory is having to sing ‘Bonnie Wee Jeannie McColl’ when I was around three years old, I would usually sing it at Nursery much to everyone’s annoyance. I began entering the Traditional Music and Song Association competitions in my mid-teens and everything came together after that. I also attended Aberdeen City Music School until last June, studying Classical Voice and Piano and was able to meet so many other young, folk musicians which really helped me get more into Scottish Music.

Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
I entered the competition not even thinking I’d get through to the Semi-Finals let alone the finals! I just finished Secondary School in June and thought that entering the competition would give me something to work towards in-between then and going to University. Never in a million years did I expect to get through to the finals after just finishing Sixth Year! To me, this is a big achievement!

What do you hope to gain from the experience?
I think from this experience I will gain more experience in working with other musicians and performing on a larger platform. I’ve found that performing, especially for younger, less-experienced musicians is becoming harder right now with COVID-19 so right now I’m really just making the most of what I can do.

Do you have any particular musical highlights?
One of my musical highlights is probably recording with folk band, Malinky, on their album – Handsel. I recorded a North-East Bothy Ballad called Sleepytoon which originally is only a few miles from where I stay in Rothienorman.
Again, qualifying for the Bothy Ballad Champion of Champions in February 2020 was like a dream come true. I’d always watched the likes of Shona Donaldson and Joe Aitken perform at Elgin and always thought that what they did was truly amazing. Performing at Elgin was like ticking a box off of my ‘Musical Bucket List’!

What are your plans for the future?
I’ve just started my first year doing the Bachelors of Music in Vocal Studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, so I plan on finishing that. I’ve got another three years to go so I’m sure it’ll keep me busy.
At some point in the next couple of years, I would like to record an EP, but it’s not my main goal just yet.
I’m just trying to get as much performance experience under my belt as I possibly can really, just preparing myself for once I graduate!

Listen in to hear Ellie Beaton at the Grand Finals on Sunday 31st January at 5pm. Read about the other finalists here.

Finalists of BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2021 Announced

Congratulations to the finalists of BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2021. After a splendid semi-finalists concert held at BBC Scotland in Glasgow the 6 musicians above won through to the finals. All 12 musicians in the semi-finals played brilliantly and the judges had a very difficult time choosing the final 6. We are very lucky in Scotland to have such amazing young musicians coming through the ranks. Listen in to the finals at 5pm, January 31st on BBC Radio Scotland. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/youngtrad.

In this difficult year BBC Radio Scotland did a great job of making the semi-finals happen. Accompanists Mhairi Hall (piano) and Michael Bryan (guitar) got together with the semi-finalists to rehearse their sets and performed with them for the semi-finalists concert. Read more about the finalists below. 

Bradley Parker – Bagpipes (County Down, Northern Ireland)
Ellie Beaton – Voice (Aberdeenshire)
Graham Rorie – Fiddle (Orkney)
Iona Fyfe – Voice (Huntly)
Lucie Hendry – Lever Harp (Aberdeenshire)
Michael Biggins – Piano (Newcastle) 

Keep up with all the latest BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award information at www.bbc.co.uk/youngtrad

 

Graham Rorie: Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021

Graham Rorie from Orkney is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021. The finals will be held on 31st January 2021 at 5pm. Listen live on BBC Radio Scotland. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/youngtrad

We asked Graham the following questions:

How did you get involved in Scottish music?
I was lucky enough to receive fiddle lessons for free at school in Orkney with the exceptional tutor, Douglas Montgomery. Over 10 years of lessons we worked at classical repertoire alongisde more traditional music. Having that balance of technical guidance and knowledge of traditional repertoire helped nurture my love of music in general which then became more focused on folk music when I moved to Glasgow to study at the Royal Conservatoire. On arrival in Glasgow, I teamed up with Aidan Moodie (who I’d worked with for many years in Orkney already) and we formed ‘Gnoss’ as a means of supplementing our studies. Working with the band (now also featuring Connor Sinclair and Craig Baxter) has helped cement my passion for not only traditional/folk music itself but a love of performing, touring and recording it. It is a very special community that I’m honoured to be a part of.

Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
I have always been interested in entering the competition but felt like I wanted to wait until I had pursued some more solo projects as a fiddle player before taking that step. That way I would have explored my own solo sound further and be better prepared. After premiering my new project ‘The Orcadians of Hudson Bay’ at Celtic Connections in 2020 I felt like I was ready to go for it.

What do you hope to gain from the experience?
I hope to use the platform of the competition and the national coverage to help boost my own solo profile and promote the Spring 2021 release of my album ’The Orcadians of Hudson Bay’. After the semi-finals I felt like I was becoming more comfortable on stage as a soloist and I hope to continue that progression through the final and beyond.

Do you have any particular musical highlights?
There have been loads over the years. I have been lucky enough to appear at some amazing festivals around the world including Glasgow’s Celtic Connections, Festival Interceltique de Lorient (France) and Celtica Valle D’Aosta (Italy) with Gnoss and Celtic Colours (Canada) with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

The premier of my project ‘The Orcadians of Hudson Bay’ at Celtic Connections was a very special night and creating an album of the music has been an amazing experience. . To collaborate with some of my favourite ever musicians working on music I have composed myself is a total treat.

If I had to pick one it would be co-directing the Orkney Folk Festival’s “The Gathering: Generations” firstly at the Orkney Folk Festival then at the Old Fruit Market during Celtic Connections 2019. It was a massive honour to curate that incarnation of the series and the Celtic Connections show was a night to remember!

What are your plans for the future?
I will be releasing ‘The Orcadians of Hudson Bay’ in spring 2021 which is very exciting. We will also be releasing a new Gnoss album next year which will (fingers crossed) be accompanied with a launch tour of sorts.

Listen in to hear Graham Rorie  at the Grand Finals on Sunday 31st January at 5pm. Read about the other finalists here.

Calum McIlroy: Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2020

Calum McIlroy from Aberdeenshire is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2020. The finals will be held at Celtic Connections Festival on 2nd February 2020 at 5pm. Buy a ticket here or listen live on BBC Radio Scotland or watch on BBC ALBA.

We asked Calum the following questions:

How did you get involved in Scottish music?
I first got involved in traditional music through the cèilidh band at high school, thinking it would just be bit of fun and not at all expecting to gain so much from it! After leaving school I got more experience playing folk music through local groups like the North East Folk Collective and the Cèol Mòr Big Band at Aberdeen International Youth Festival. I was also part of two fantastic tours with the Fèis Rois Cèilidh Trail.

Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
I’ve been inspired by many of the previous winners of the competition like Anna Massie, Gillian Frame and Ewan Robertson, who have all gone on to have flourishing careers in traditional music. I was also really excited by the prospect of working with Mhairi Hall and Mike Bryan, and performing at a high profile event like Celtic Connections.

What do you hope to gain from the experience?
I have reached a stage where I am involved in a couple of different musical projects and I feel I would benefit with a bit of help getting them out there. This competition has a great reputation and I thought it would be an excellent way of gaining some more exposure.

Do you have any particular musical highlights?
Reaching the final of this competition is definitely my biggest musical achievement so far, but other highlights include playing at the Royal Albert Hall in London with the North East Folk Collective, and being part of “Brave in Concert” at Celtic Connections 2019 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Lorne MacDougall, Chris Stout, Fraser Fifield and many others.

What are your plans for the future?
I’ll be recording an EP with the help of Megan MacDonald and Ruairidh Gollan in early February, and then will be looking forward to my final recital and completing my BMus in Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. I have also been working on some new material with Anna Garvin, who is a great pianist from Oban.

Why not buy a ticket to hear Calum McIlroy or any other of the finalists at the Grand Finals on Sunday 2nd February at 5pm. The finals are part of Celtic Connections festival.

Mhairi Catherine Mackinnon: Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2020

Mhairi Catherine Mackinnon from Perth is a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2020. The finals will be held at Celtic Connections Festival on 2nd February 2020 at 5pm. Buy a ticket here or listen live on BBC Radio Scotland or watch on BBC ALBA.

We asked Mhairi the following questions:

How did you get involved in Scottish music?
I started learning trad music from an early age – it was all around me growing up with my parents listening to lots of Scottish music & my grandad playing the accordion… I had an interest in it and my granny bought me the My First Ceilidh Collection Tune book for my 10th birthday… the year after, I began playing with the Dunkeld and District Strathspey and Reel Society!!

Why did you enter BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award?
I entered this competition to push myself – to play and learn new music, as well as to encourage myself to perform on a solo platform which I find quite nerve wracking!! Stepping out with my comfort zone and pushing myself to try new things and present myself at a professional level is so important to me right now in my career as not only a musician, but as a teacher too… I need to continue to push myself and develop my own playing in order to inspire and teach the next generation!

What do you hope to gain from the experience?
I hope to gain a little bit more exposure within the music scene – I hope people will hear my playing and want to collaborate with me, on whatever level that may be – session musician recording work, strings ensemble work, teaching & general music performance!!

Do you have any particular musical highlights?
I have so many that I’m incredibly grateful for!! Playing at the Scots Music Trad Awards with the Scott Wood Band, Playing at the London Olympics with Cherrygrove, playing at Festival de Ortiguiera and the BBC 1 Hogmanay Show with the Scott Wood Band, playing as a soloist on BBC Radio Scotland’s Take the Floor with Robbie Shepherd, as well as all the amazing festivals I’ve been fortunate to perform at!!

What are your plans for the future?
My plans for the future are to keep pushing myself musically, to be creative, to get involved, to collaborate, to perform, to continue my teaching and develop my techniques as well as continuing to compose my own music with the hopes to one day creating my very own debut album!!

Why not buy a ticket to hear Mhairi Catherine Mackinnon or any other of the finalists at the Grand Finals on Sunday 2nd February at 5pm. The finals are part of Celtic Connections festival.