BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2023

Thanks to support from Creative Scotland, we are introducing a one off feature concert at the 2023 Festival and this will result is us inviting this year's title holder of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year. We don't know who this is yet but here's hoping they can accept our invitation!!

With support from Creative Scotland, this year's Festival has a significant focus on showcasing some of Scotland’s best young folk musicians of the last few years, giving long overdue exposure to Scottish artistes whose careers and profile building was halted by the pandemic. Ali Levak, Michael Biggins and Eryn Rae are definitely secured to perform at a special feature concert hosted by Hands up for Trad Director, Simon Thoumire but we will also extend an invitation to whoever is announced in February 2023. Watch this space!

The finalists competing for the title in 2023 are Aiden Moodie (singer/guitarist from Orkney), Ailis Sutherland (small pipes from Angus), Mairi McGillivray (Gaelic Singer from Islay), Sam Mabbett (now Scottish based accordion player from Oxfordshire), Madeleine Stewart (now Scottish based fiddler from New England, USA) and Shetland's very own Amy Laurenson on piano. Good luck to all finalists and you can read more about them at the link below

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2TsPrB0vmCZ898137ctJ1NS/2023-finalists

We hope that by programming award-winning and upcoming Scottish talent, it will motivate and demonstrate potential pathways for more of Shetland’s own young local musicians.