# BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician

The BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician competition has run annually since 2001. It exists to encourage young musicians to keep their tradition alive and to provide performance opportunities, tools and advice to help contestants make a career in traditional music. Former winners include Hannah Rarity, Mohsen Amini, Robyn Stapleton, Shona Mooney and Emily Smith.

## Competition

The competition was started in 2000 by Simon Thoumire, together with fiddler Clare McLaughlin and Elspeth Cowie, national organiser of the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland (TMSA), and was first awarded at the 2001 Celtic Connections festival. BBC Radio Scotland started to support the award the following year, and has continued to do so. The award is organised and run by Hands Up for Trad on behalf of BBC Radio Scotland.
The usual format of the award is a residential weekend in October at Wiston Lodge, South Lanarkshire for twelve semi-finalists. From there, six are selected to go on to a final concert, where the winner is chosen by a panel of judges.
Since 2007, the final concert has been held in Glasgow City Halls on the last day of the Celtic Connections festival, and broadcast live on BBC Radio Scotland. Between 2012 and 2015 the final concert was also televised on BBC Alba. The presenter was initially Mary Ann Kennedy, replaced in 2016 by Bruce MacGregor. From 2020 the final concert was again televised on BBC Alba with Joy Dunlop giving Gaelic commentary alongside MacGregor.
The semi-finals of the 2021 competition took place in October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of the Wiston Lodge weekend, the entrants performed in the foyer of the BBC Pacific Quay building, with no audience.
The eligibility criteria are that the contestant is aged between 16 and 27, and is normally resident in Scotland or has lived in Scotland for five years. This age range is more extended than the similarly titled BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award. That award is open to all United Kingdom residents, but its age range is just 16 to 21. Hence the contestants for the Scottish award are usually more advanced musicians, often students or graduates of one of the degrees in traditional music such as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's BMus with Honours (Traditional music), and already established in a professional career in music.
While the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award uses the umbrella term "folk", the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician award is specifically for a Scottish musician performing the music of their own tradition, though not necessarily Scottish traditional music.
The TMSA Young Trad Tour is an annual tour of Scotland by the finalists and the previous year's winner, organised by the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland, and supported by Creative Scotland. The destinations include the Celtic Connections festival and the hometowns of each of the finalists. The musicians also make an album together.

## Award winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and marked with a blue riband.
| Year | Name | Homeplace | Instrument | Higher music education |
| 2025 | Ellie Beaton | Rothienorman | Voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2025 | Roo Geddes | Glasgow | Fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2025 | Miguel Girão | Portugal | Guitar | Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2025 | Laura Penman | Edinburgh | Clarsach | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2025 | Noah Scott | France | Piano | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2025 | Clelland Shand | Dunfermline | Accordion | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2024 | John Dew | Perthshire | Bagpipes | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2024 | Ruairidh Iain Gray | South Uist | Voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2024 | Calum McIlroy | Aberdeenshire | Guitar, mandolin & voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2024 | Ella Munro | Skye | Voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2024 | Matt Tighe | London | Fiddle | Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance |
| 2024 | Evie Waddell | Stirling | Voice, step dance percussion | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2023 | Amy Laurenson | Shetland | piano | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2023 | Sam Mabbett | Oxfordshire | accordion | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2023 | Mairi McGillivray | Islay | Gaelic song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2023 | Aidan Moodie | Orkney | voice, guitar | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2023 | Madeleine Stewart | New England, USA | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2023 | Ailis Sutherland | Kirriemuir, Angus | smallpipes | University of the Highlands and Islands |
| 2022 | Eryn Rae | Scottish Borders | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2022 | Breanna Wilson | Glasgow | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2022 | Malachy Arnold | Glasgow | clarsach | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2022 | Saffron Hanvidge | Inverness | Gaelic song | Sabhal Mòr Ostaig |
| 2022 | Malin Lewis | Skye | pipes | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2022 | Sophie Joint | Glasgow | piano | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2021 | Michael Biggins | Newcastle upon Tyne | piano | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2021 | Lucie Hendry | Aberdeenshire | lever harp | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2021 | Iona Fyfe | Huntly | voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2021 | Graham Rorie | Orkney | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2021 | Ellie Beaton | Rothienorman | voice | Aberdeen City Music School |
| 2021 | Bradley Parker | County Down | bagpipes | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2020 | Ali Levack | Dingwall | whistles, pipes | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2020 | Calum McIlroy | Aberdeenshire | guitar, mandolin, voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2020 | Mhairi Mackinnon | Perthshire | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2020 | Cameron Nixon | Aberdeenshire | Scots song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2020 | Josie Duncan | Lewis | Gaelic song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2020 | Padruig Morrison | Uist | accordion | Edinburgh University and Maynooth University |
| 2019 | Benedict Morris | Glasgow | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2019 | Luc McNally | Dipton, County Durham | guitar, voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2019 | Cameron Ross | Stonehaven | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2019 | Ross Miller | Linlithgow | bagpipes | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2019 | Catherine Tinney | Skye | Gaelic song | |
| 2019 | Sarah Markey | Coatbridge | flute | |
| 2018 | Hannah Rarity | West Lothian | Scots song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2018 | David Shedden | Glasgow | bagpipes | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2018 | Amy Papiransky | Keith, Moray | Scots song | University of Aberdeen and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2018 | Rory Matheson | Drumbeg, Sutherland | piano | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2018 | Ali Levack | Maryburgh, Ross-shire | whistles, pipes | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2018 | Luc McNally | Dipton, County Durham | guitar, voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2017 | Charlie Stewart | Glenfarg | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2017 | Grant McFarlane | Paisley | accordion | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2017 | Iona Fyfe | Huntly | Scots song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2017 | Dougie McCance | Erskine | bagpipes | University of the Highlands and Islands |
| 2017 | Ella Munro | Skye | Scots song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2017 | Kim Carnie | Oban | Gaelic song | |
| 2016 | Mohsen Amini | Glasgow | concertina | |
| 2016 | Hannah Macrae | Lochaber | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2016 | Jessica Burton | Orkney | clarsach | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2016 | Murray Willis | Lismore | accordion | Benbecula College |
| 2016 | Robbie Greig | Edinburgh | fiddle | Benbecula College |
| 2016 | Ryan Young | Cardross | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2015 | Claire Hastings | Dumfries | song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2015 | Ainsley Hamill | Cardross | song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2015 | Gemma Donald | Shetland | fiddle | |
| 2015 | Heather Downie | Dunblane | clarsach | |
| 2015 | Ryan Young | Cardross | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2015 | Séamus Ó Baoighill | Skye | fiddle | |
| 2014 | Robyn Stapleton | Stranraer | voice | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2014 | Alistair Iain Paterson | Bishopton | piano | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2014 | Ian Smith | Tiree | accordion | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2014 | Jack Badcock | Edinburgh | guitar, song | |
| 2014 | Mhairi Marwick | Fochabers | fiddle | Strathclyde University |
| 2014 | Neil Ewart | Kilchoan | fiddle | Strathclyde University |
| 2013 | Paddy Callaghan | Glasgow | accordion | |
| 2013 | Andrew Dunlop | Connel | piano | Royal Northern College of Music and Eastman School of Music |
| 2013 | Graham Mackenzie | Inverness | fiddle | Royal Northern College of Music |
| 2013 | Grant MacFarlane | Paisley | accordion | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2013 | Hannah Fisher | Dunkeld | fiddle | |
| 2013 | Scott Wood | Erskine | pipes, whistle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2012 | Rona Wilkie | Oban | fiddle | |
| 2012 | Kirsty Watt | Lewis | Gaelic song | |
| 2012 | Katie Boyle | Glasgow | fiddle | Irish World Academy of Music and Dance |
| 2012 | Catriona Price | Orkney | fiddle | Royal Northern College of Music and Royal Academy of Music |
| 2012 | Roisin Anne Hughes | Glasgow | fiddle | |
| 2012 | Alistair Ogilvy | Strathblane | Scots song | |
| 2011 | Kristan Harvey | Orkney | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2011 | Alistair Ogilvy | Strathblane | song | |
| 2011 | Andrew Waite | Duns | accordion | |
| 2011 | Lorne MacDougall | Carradale | pipes | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2011 | Mairi Chaimbeul | Skye | Gaelic song and clarsach | Berklee College of Music |
| 2011 | Tina Rees | Glasgow | piano | |
| 2010 | Daniel Thorpe | Inverurie | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2010 | Paddy Callaghan | Glasgow | accordion, harp | |
| 2010 | Mairi Chaimbeul | Skye | harp | Berklee College of Music |
| 2010 | Lorne MacDougall | Carradale | pipes | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2010 | Hannah Phillips | Glasgow | harp | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2010 | Kyle Warren | Helensburgh | pipes | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2009 | Ruairidh MacMillan | Nairn | fiddle | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2009 | Adam Holmes | Edinburgh | guitar | |
| 2009 | Lorne MacDougall | Carradale | pipes, whistle | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2009 | Kenneth Nicolson | Lewis | Gaelic song | |
| 2009 | Jack Smedley | Buckie | fiddle | |
| 2009 | Daniel Thorpe | Inverurie | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2008 | Ewan Robertson | Carrbridge | guitar, voice | |
| 2008 | Steven Blake | Livingstone | pipes, whistle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2008 | Amy Lord | Dunblane | Scots song | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2008 | James Duncan MacKenzie | Isle of Lewis | pipes, smallpipes, flute, whistles | |
| 2008 | Robert Menzies | Dumfries | accordion, piano | |
| 2008 | Ailie Robertson | Edinburgh | clarsach | |
| 2007 | Catriona Watt | Lewis | Gaelic | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2007 | Darren MacLean | Isle of Skye | Gaelic song | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2007 | Mike Vass | Nairn | fiddle | |
| 2007 | Calum Stewart | Garmouth | wooden flute | |
| 2007 | Calum MacCrimmon | Monifieth | pipes, whistles | |
| 2007 | Martin Hunter | Glasgow | accordion | |
| 2006 | Shona Mooney | Borders | fiddle | Newcastle University |
| 2006 | Kirsty Cotter | Glasgow | fiddle | |
| 2006 | Christopher Keatinge | Melrose | accordion | |
| 2006 | Darren MacLean | Skye | Gaelic song | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2006 | Hamish Napier | Grantown on Spey | flute, piano, Scots song | Berklee College of Music |
| 2006 | Fraser Shaw | Islay | pipes, whistle | Sabhal Mòr Ostaig |
| 2005 | Stuart Cassells | Falkirk | bagpipes | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2005 | Rachel Newton | Edinburgh | clarsarch, song | |
| 2005 | Mike Vass | Nairn | fiddle | |
| 2005 | Darren Maclean | Skye | song | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2005 | Sarah Naylor | Skye | fiddle | Strathclyde University |
| 2005 | Maeve Mackinnon | Glasgow | song | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig |
| 2004 | James Graham | Lochinver | Gaelic song | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2004 | Shona Donaldson | Huntly | voice, fiddle | |
| 2004 | Rosie Morton | Edinburgh | clarsach, voice | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2004 | Sarah Naylor | Skye | fiddle, voice | Strathclyde University |
| 2004 | Tom Orr | Lanark | accordion | |
| 2004 | Jenna Reid | Shetland | fiddle, piano, voice | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2003 | Anna Massie | Fortrose | fiddle, guitar | Strathclyde University |
| 2003 | Shona Donaldson | Huntly | song | |
| 2003 | Sarah-Jane Fifield | Inverness | fiddle | |
| 2003 | Mark Laurenson | Shetland | fiddle | |
| 2003 | Kevin O'Neill | Glasgow | flute | |
| 2003 | Lori Watson | Borders | fiddle, voice | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2002 | Emily Smith | Dumfries and Galloway | Scots song | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2002 | Ruaridh Campbell | Aberfoyle | fiddle | Strathclyde University |
| 2002 | Jennifer Port | Golspie | harp | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2002 | Findlay Napier | Grantown on Spey | voice, guitar | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2002 | Lori Watson | Borders | fiddle | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| 2002 | Ross Ainslie | Bridge of Earn | smallpipes, whistle, Highland pipes | |
| 2001 | Gillian Frame | Arran | fiddle | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| 2001 | Patsy Reid | Perthshire | fiddle | Royal Northern College of Music |
| 2001 | Kevin O'Neill | Glasgow | flute | |
| 2001 | Mairearad Green | Achiltibuie | pipes, accordion | |
| 2001 | Steve Byrne | Arbroath | Scots song | |
| 2001 | Celine Donoghue | Glasgow | banjo | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |