The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards returns to Glasgow this year, taking place live at Glasgow’s Engine Works, and on BBC ALBA at 9.00pm on December 4th, 2021.
Below you can find the shortlist and public voting is open until this Sunday 14th November at midnight. More details and vote link here.
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said: “For many people, music is the heart and soul of their daily lives. During lockdown, we lost not only concert-hall performances but also face-to-face lessons, fireside sessions, and community get-togethers. This year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards ceremony is therefore a perfectly timed opportunity to celebrate both the return of our live music scene and the wonders that artists delivered online to keep the spirit of Na Trads alive during the darkest of days.
“Scotland’s traditional music continues to thrive because our heritage, which draws from rich indigenous languages, is passed on from generation to generation. That’s why Creative Scotland is particularly proud to sponsor the Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award and, through the Youth Music Initiative, the Music Tutor of the Year Award. We’re also delighted to support Hands Up For Trad and the vital work it does year-round.”
Featuring live performances from Ímar, Dàimh, Hannah Rarity, The Canny Band, the Hands Up For Trad Strathspey Band and more to come, the highly regarded annual Awards give recognition to excellence within Scotland’s thriving traditional musical culture.
Encompassing all aspects of making and playing from composing, Gaelic song, folk and Scottish dance music to pipe bands and a host of others in between, each year sees a lively and enthusiastic crowd enjoying some of the biggest names as the industry and audiences join to honour singers, instrumentalists, composers, and songwriters, including the prestigious Gaelic Singer of the Year, and Musician of the Year, Awards.
Anna-Wendy Stevenson, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader BA (Hons) Applied Music confirmed: “As the music industry re-groups and adapts after the disruption of the pandemic it is crucial that we celebrate and showcase the incredible talent that drives the music industry and connects communities in a myriad of ways. The University of the Highlands and Islands is delighted to continue to sponsor the Musician of the Year Award and recognise the importance of the MG ALBA Scots Traditional Music Awards, in bringing together organisations across music in Scotland to support the development of and recognise the work and talent of our musicians”
Duncan Byatt, President of the Highland Society of London, added: “Gaelic singing has been at the forefront of the recent surge of interest in learning and using Gaelic, and the Highland Society of London is delighted to sponsor the award for Gaelic Singer of the Year once again at the Trads. Our congratulations to each of the four nominees and to all who participate in this medium.”
This year the annual Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame is sponsored by Fèisean nan Gàidheal and will be a special feature within the main Awards and TV show. Arthur Cormack, Chief Executive of Fèisean nan Gàidheal said: “Fèisean nan Gàidheal believes in recognising the significant contribution to our culture of some of our most celebrated performers and we are delighted to once again support the Traditional Music Hall of Fame. The main focus of our work is supporting community Fèisean to pass on aspects of Gaelic culture and traditional music to young people. Gaelic and Scots culture relies on oral transmission, learning from the carriers of our songs, tunes, dances and stories. Over the past 18 months traditional musicians and singers have brought pleasure to people as never before so our thanks go to this year’s inductees with congratulations to them and their families.”
MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards Nominees
Original Work of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music
7 Years Old – Calum MacPhail
Fatma’s Waltz – Adam Sutherland
Dùsgadh – Breabach
The Driftwood Project – Jack Badcock
Wild Edges – Inge Thomson
Community Project of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings
Cabraich Community Arts, Stornoway: Online Skills and Ceilidh
Dee and Don Ceilidh Collective’s ‘Our Rivers and Glens’ project
Riddell Fiddles’ Two Towns Housing Estate Youth Musical Outreach Programme
Stonehaven Folk Club Folk in Crisis Concerts
Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland
Capers in Cannich
Celtic Connections
Eden Court Under Canvas
In The Tradition – Edinburgh International Festival Traditional Music Programme 2021
National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs (NAAFC) Virtual Festival 2021
Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by The Highland Society of London
Ainslie Hamill
Iain ‘Costello’ Maciver
Kim Carnie
Mairi Macmillan
Musician of the Year sponsored by The University of the Highlands and Islands
Ali Levack
Findlay Napier
Ingrid Henderson
Iona Fyfe
Mhairi Hall
Online Performance of 2021 sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust
Alec Dalglish Live Streams
An Tobar Summer Sessions
Làn-Dùil Online Festival
Norrie “Tago” MacIver Live Streams
Vincular by Ron Jappy [Live Stream Album Launch]
Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association
Beth Malcolm
Calum McIlroy
Cameron Nixon
Ellie Beaton
Trad Video of the Year sponsored by Threads of Sound
Adahs Way – Ali Levack
Doddies Dream – Bruce MacGregor
Summer – Lewis McLaughlin
Mairead nan Cuiread – Mhairi Macmillan
Pretty Girl – Lapwyng (Valtos Remix)
Trad Music in the Media Sponsored by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Ceòl is Cràdh’ (Mental Health in Musicians documentary – BBC ALBA)
Tartan Tunes
Virtual Taynuilt Ceilidh’s
The 22nd Annual Pipes of Christmas – 2020 / The Clan Currie Society / The Learned Kindred of Currie
Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Arthur Coates
John Dew
Madderam
The Canny Band
Music Tutor of the Year Award sponsored by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative
Imogen Bose Ward, Fiddle
Isla Ratcliff, Scots Music Group
Michael Bryan, Guitar
Craig Muirhead, Director of Piping and Drumming at Strathallan School
Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CD
And Den Dey Made Tae by Ross & Ryan Couper
Cairdeas by Brian Ó hEadhra & Fionnag NicChonnich
Gaol by Rachel Walker
Livewire by Mec Lir
MAIM by Whyte
Milestone by Duncan Lyall
Orkney Monster by The Chair
Still Time by Karen Matheson
The Light of The Moon by Gnoss
Where the World Is Thin by Kris Drever
Hands Up for Trad’s Creative Director Simon Thoumire said: “Since lockdown it’s been a huge team effort to process the change needed, to provide musicians and crews with support due to cancelled gigs, and provide audiences with much needed entertainment and culture, so I am thankful and delighted with everyone who’s nominated and cannot wait to see live performances again this year, and work with MG ALBA to bring the atmosphere and the Trad Awards into living rooms.”
With live music and event restrictions in place since lockdown began, Hands Up for Trad has been working hard since March 2020 to support artists and provide alternative platforms for musicians to reach their audiences, fundraise and sell tickets online, and following a successful Scots Language Awards in Dundee on September 25th, 2021, the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in November marks their second live event since restrictions began, and a renewed partnership with MG ALBA to broadcast the Awards live.
More here: https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/scotstradmusicawards/
Please note, due to Covid-19 restrictions, only sponsors and nominees can attend this year’s Awards in person.
Keep up to date on Twitter @handsupfortrad Instagram @handsupfortrad on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handsupfortrad