Angus piper Ailis Sutherland is amongst the finalists vying to be crowned the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2023.
The winner of the coveted title will be announced on Sunday February 5.
Ailis, from Kirriemuir, began learning the pipes from her father at the age of six and has played traditional music for as long as she can remember.
Talented piper
While studying in Benbecula, she took lessons from Iain MacDonald, Hamish Napier, Ross Ainslie and James Mackenzie.
During her studies she won the Grade One World Pipe Band Championships as a member of Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia.
She was awarded a First-Class Honours Degree from UHI and went on to work at The National Piping Centre, Glasgow.
In 2019 she was nominated for the ‘up-and-coming act of the year’ category at the Trad Awards for her work as part of Hecla, a band she had formed during her time at university.
She has performed throughout the world as part of both large ensembles and smaller bands and believes she is now ready to step, more fully, into the world of solo performing.
Coveted title
The BBC Radio Scotland contest is renowned as one of the biggest platforms for emerging talent in traditional music.
It aims to encourage and validate some of the biggest names in the scene, across singing, piping, accordion, fiddle, and piano playing and many other performers within the genre.
It has been a springboard for numerous Scottish traditional music exponents to international acclaim.
This year’s winner will join a list which includes amongst others the 2022 winner fiddler Eryn Rae, and past winner pianist Michael Biggins, piper Ali Levack, fiddler Benedict Morris and singer Hannah Rarity.
When is the event on?
BBC Radio Scotland will host and broadcast the live event, held in Glasgow’s City Halls, from 5pm to 8pm on Sunday February 5, with the performances and winner announcement on BBC ALBA from 5.05pm-7.00pm and 7.30pm-8.00pm.
Joy Dunlop will host the event and the broadcast, which is being held on the closing night of the internationally renowned Celtic Connections festival.
Deemed to be one of the most exciting in the festival programme, the BBC Radio Scotland event played to a packed house last year in the City Halls, after again opening up to audiences in the wake of the pandemic.
This year’s finalists represent the very best of trad talent, including a pianist, piper, specialist accordion player, singer, fiddler and guitarist.
On stage accompanists for the finalists this year are renowned acoustic guitarist Jenn Butterworth, pianist Jennifer Austin, and Scottish-Icelandic percussionist Signy Jakobsdottir.
Who are the other finalists?
The other five finalists competing to win the prestigious title are:
Orkney-born Aidan Moodie who first fell in love with traditional music, developing his interest and skills through Orkney’s vibrant folk music scene as a teenager.
Islay-born Mairi McGillivray who began performing Gaelic song in mods on the local and national circuits, to great success.
Sam Mabbett who was brought up surrounded by the English traditional music and dance scene in Oxfordshire and he taught himself to play the diatonic button accordion.
Madeleine Stewart who is originally from New England, America and Amy Laurenson, originally from Shetland.
What’s the prize?
The winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2023 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.
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