21st MG ALBA Scot Trad Awards 2023

~~Arts

A dynamic and exceptionally talented cast of nominees has been unveiled for the 21st MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, featuring over 110 artists and organizations competing across 22 categories. This impressive lineup not only underscores the richness of Scotland’s traditional music scene but also highlights the diverse pool of talent within it.

The shortlisted nominees were revealed and voting opened with a host of Uist-based companies, events & bands showcased with the 22 categories. The winners are to be revealed at the glamorous annual award ceremony hosted at Caird Hall in Dundee this Saturday, December 2nd, 2023. Marking its 21st milestone this year, the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards has witnessed steady growth over the past two decades, mirroring the vibrant and evolving landscape of Scotland’s traditional music.

From events and festivals to the pinnacle of traditional bands and composers in the country, the amazing nominees spanning the length and breadth of the nation embody the past, present, and future of Scotland’s traditional music.

Our nominees below have been updated after Saturday’s Results

EDF- Event of the Year

Congratulations to Eilean Dorcha Festival (EDF) who has been nominated in Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2023.

EDF is completely non-profit and run entirely by volunteers bringing a wide range of music, dance, crafts, food and drink to Benbecula. The festival has become hugely important to the local community both in terms of the economic impact that it generates and the community cohesion that it engenders. The festival aims to cater for the whole community by bringing the generations together however their key focus is on younger people.

Donald Ban MacDonald- Music Tutor of the Year

Congratulations to Donald Ban MacDonald who  WON Music Tutor of the Year at the Awards on Saturday.

 

Donald Ban was born and raised in Uist and began piping at the age of 13.

He later moved to Glasgow where he was tutored by the famous Pipe Major Donald MacLeod. Upon returning home in 1984, Donald Ban formed a junior piping club which was run voluntarily for 10 years before being appointed Piping tutor by the local council for the Uist and Barra Schools.  He also held the position of Pipe Major of the Uist Pipe Band for many years before handing the role over to one of his ex pupils.

Beinn Lee- Scottish Folk Band of the Year

Congratulations to Beinn Lee who has been nominated in Scottish Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Threads of Sound in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2023.

Beinn Lee are a six-piece band from Uist in the Outer Hebrides. 2018 saw the band release their debut album OSGARRA and 2021 saw their much anticipated second album, DEÒ.

Described by renowned piper Fred Morrison as “a breath of fresh air”: “the feel of the Uist music runs beautifully throughout the album and the sensitive vocals and top drawer musicianship add up to one of the most exciting musical prospects I have heard in a long time.”

Formed in 2013, the band are rooted in the west coast style of traditional music. The collective inheritance of Gaelic song and west coast pipe music of members Micheal Steele, Pàdruig Morrison, Mairi Therese Gilfedder, James Stewart, Anna Black, and Seoras Lewis provide a very strong Gaelic traditional backbone to their music, but their music of contemporary and self-penned tunes and songs are infused with diverse modern influences.

Alana NicAonghais- New Writer Award

Congratulations to Uist Beò’s own Alana NicAonghais who has been nominated in Production Awards 2023: Sue Wilson New Writer Award in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2023.

This nomination recognizes Alana’s many talents and her dedication to promoting the vibrant culture of her homeland.

Beyond performing, Alana has contributed greatly to the preservation of Uist culture through her writing. She edited and wrote music for the Young Uist Voices series, which features voice recordings of the island’s youth. Her work editing and writing for the website Uist Beò has created an extensive archive of articles highlighting local businesses, residents, and traditions.

Trail West- Live Act of the Year

Congratulations to Trail West WON Live Act of the Year sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2023

An explosive six-piece line-up with strong links to the Western Highlands and Islands- including Uist.

Trail West are a band who continue to rise in popularity from their modest roots as a four-piece West Coast Ceilidh Band to a formidable Live Act worthy of any festival stage.

Alain Campbell: Guitar/ Whistles
Allan Nairn: Electric Guitar
Andrew Findlater/ Drums
Ian Smith: Accordion
Jonathan Gillespie: Keyboard
Seonaidh MacIntyre: Whistles/ Pipes/ Vocals & Guitar

Julie Fowlis – Musician of the Year

Congratulations to Julie Fowlis who WON Musician of the Year sponsored by University of the Highlands and Islands in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2023.

 

I’m a singer and musician, originally from the North Uist and now based in the Highlands.

I am lucky to have had the opportunity to perform all over the world, from Carnegie Hall in Clashmore to the other one in New York, and most of my work is deeply rooted in the Gaelic tradition. One of my favourite things to do is collaborate, and I’m fortunate to have toured and recorded many times with the Transatlantic Sessions and am a member of the ensemble Spell Songs, the musical evolution of The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris.

I’m interested in collaborating cross genre and across different languages too which had led to working with other artists such as KT Tunstall, Chris Thile, Nicola Benedetti, Einar Selvik, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Le Vent du Nord, Uxia and Tejedor.

Gillebrìde MacMillan – Gaelic Singer of the Year

Congratulations to Gillebride MacMillan who has been nominated in Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by Highland Society of London.

 

Gaelic music is an integral part of Gillebride’s life. Gaelic song has enriched and shaped his life. Immersed in Gaelic song and traditions from childhood in his native South Uist, Gillebride, has performed and showcased Gaelic song throughout the world. Gillebride is one of the most sought-after tutors and performers of Gaelic song and he imparts his knowledge of Gaelic song to students, children and adults at concerts, workshops and lectures.

 

Gillebride MacMillan is one of the figureheads of contemporary Gaelic singing as well as being a tradition bearer of Gaelic song traditions. Gillebride is at the forefront of the revival in Gaelic song composition, both as a composer of new songs and as a champion of new songwriters in his BBC Radio nan Gàidheal show, Òran Annad.

He is a distinguished Gaelic traditional singer and a song collector and he has managed and coordinated various Gaelic song projects. From traditional songs to new songs, performance and research in Gaelic song, Gillebride is one of the most sought after renowned Gaelic singers.

Congratulations to A Tune for The Food Bank who has been nominated in Community Project of the Year sponsored by Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland.

 

We are a collection of session instrumentalists and singers from the Inverness area that got together in 2016 to start a regular event that has ran fortnightly and often weekly ever since, apart from the obvious COVID interruption, to raise money for our local food bank.

The fee the bar has paid for the event and a donation bucket each evening is passed directly onto Inverness foodbank raising them around £33000 so far.
This makes quite a big difference to helping them with their operation costs,

One of the nicest things about the events is that we have a good number of singers along with tune players giving an almost 50/50 split most evenings between songs in Scots or Gaelic and the more traditional session tune playing.

It has always been a very friendly open session with on many nights up to 20 local musicians coming along and many travelling from afar to join us. We also love to see young musicians join us and to see their confidence progress with the occasional singer as young as 5 coming along.

A shared passion for the smiles, laughter in life and distraction it brings to us all.

Voting closed last week but make sure and watch out for news on the winners after the awards ceremony this weekend. The official Scot Trad website can be found here