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Sunday, February 01, 2009

BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2009


Fiddle player Ruairidh Macmillan from Nairn has this evening been awarded this year’s award.
His main influences have been Angus Grant Snr and Liz Carroll.
He has wide musical horizons, which have spurred him on to pushing musical boundaries and fusing idioms.
Ruairidh has just graduated from the RSAMD and is currently performing with the Paul McKenna Band who have just signed to Greentrax Recordings.

4 comments:

  1. congratulations Ruairidh Macmillan on your award, keep up the good work ! (Paul Mckenna branching out from hypnotisim)

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  2. Anonymous4:13 PM

    As always the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year final concert (What a mouthful) brought an inspiring and welcoming crowd, who loudly cheered all contestants.
    Part of the annual Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow the event was broadcast live on Radio Scotland.
    The judges must have a very difficult time, as the standard of musicianship is always very high, but personality plays it part and as well as the playing with performers also being judged on how they interact with the crowd.
    It was clearly Ruairidh Macmillan’s night being rewarded with the prestigious prize, which has greatly helped many previous winners in the musical world.
    Nairn is no stranger to the awards with twins Mike and Ali Vass reaching the finals in 2005 and 2006 respectively
    Despite there not being a proper home for traditional music in Nairn, and with an ever changing population, it is good to see that traditional music skills survive with our young people

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  3. I think you are right Fan. Fèis Inbhir Narann are doing great work but there is no permanent base or regular venue for the like.
    Perhaps you should contact Iain Fairweather and see if this can get pushed up the tourist agenda a bit so as to be alongside golf, jazz and books.

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  4. Even the great Inverness no longer boasts a home for traditional music after the demise of Balnain House. Shameful that such a need can be so over looked, and only catered for by teaching in schools with no proper home or outlet

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