Westhill performer set to battle it out for national Young Traditional Musician title
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A new star on the thriving traditional music scene in Scotland will be ‘crowned’ on Sunday, February 4.
Six finalists are in the running to become the winner of the coveted title of BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2024.
The finalists will be competing at a live event on February 4, hosted by Joy Dunlop, which will be broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland from 5pm - 8pm and BBC ALBA from 5.05pm-7pm and 7.30pm to 8pm.
The contest is renowned as one of the biggest platforms for emerging talent in traditional music, encouraging and validating some of the biggest names in the scene, across singing, piping, accordion, fiddle, and piano playing and many other performers within the genre.
Among the finalists this year is deaf/hard of hearing singer and step dancer Evie Waddell from Stirlingshire, who will - in a first for the event – be using British Sign Language in her performance.
Also competing in the final are singer and mandolin/guitar player Calum McIlroy from Westhill, bagpipe player John Dew from Creiff, fiddle player Matt Tighe from Glasgow, and singers Ruairidh Gray from South Uist and Ella Munro from Skye.
Hailing from Westhill 26-year-old Calum first learned about traditional music in his school ceilidh band as he explained: "The thing I like most about traditional music is the social bonds you are able to form almost immediately with other musicians, and I don't think that can be found in other types of music.
"I have been very fortunate over the last few years to have the opportunity to play with a wide variety of musicians. I first learned about traditional music in my school ceilidh band in Aberdeenshire, and after I left school, I went on to play with the North East Folk Collective and took part in the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail in 2016/2017.
"After finishing my diploma in music in Aberdeen, I moved to Glasgow to study on the BMus Traditional Music Course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. There, I was tutored in guitar by Kevin MacKenzie, Jenn Butterworth, Innes Watson, and Ali Hutton; and in Scots song by Rod Paterson and Fiona Hunter. Since graduating,
He continued: ""I have been very busy tutoring through various organisations, such as Fèisean nan Gàidheal and Falkirk Traditional Music Project. I have continued to play with my own trio with Megan MacDonald (accordion) and Ruairidh Gollan (fiddle), and with many other artists and bands, including: Chloë Bryce; Mike Vass (w/ Tom Callister, Mairearad Green and Conal McDonagh); Ailie Robertson; Gráinne Brady; Anna Massie Ian Carr, and Tim Edey; TRYST; and Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton.
"I am at a stage in my career where I would like to make more time for my own music, and I would like to perform more as a soloist or in my own outfit(s)."
The winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2024 wins a recording session with BBC Scotland, an opportunity to perform at the Scots Trad Music Awards later in the year, plus 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.
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.
Gareth Hydes, Commissioning Editor, BBC Scotland said: “The Trad Music scene in Scotland is flourishing, helped in some part by the success of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician competition, which over many years has provided a channel for an amazing range of emerging performers to develop their careers in this genre.
“And we are delighted to once again be showcasing a very diverse range of performers, who demonstrate the very best and highest standards of trad music in Scotland and also underscore its development in new and fresh ways, keeping it alive and relevant for a whole new generation.”
