Scots Trad Music Awards 2006 Nominations page 4 Pages 1, 2, 3, 4

Services to Industry Award sponsored by Scottish Arts Council
Davie Gardner
Davie has worked tirelessly for Shetland music over the years through the Shetland Arts Trust. He is about to take on new challenges including management of Shetland band Fiddlers’ Bid.

Jean Urquhart
Jean has promoted traditional music over the years in many forms. She has promoted music through the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool, been a member of the Scottish Arts Council and is a currently a Highland councilor for Ward 17 and Vice-Chairman - Education, Culture and Sport.

Johnny Mowat WINNER
Johnny is the Festival Chairman of Orkney Folk Festival. He has worked very hard at this job for many years and has successfully promoted Orkney and Orcadian music to the rest of the UK and the world.

Tradmusic.com
Tradmusic.com is one of the UKs top websites promoting Scottish and Irish music, gigs and information.

Strathspey and Reel Society of the Year sponsored by Royal Scottish Country Dance Society
Banchory Strathspey and Reel Society WINNER
The Banchory Strathspey and Reel Society was formed in 1932 and has had 6 conductors since then. Since its inception, the Society has maintained a high standard of playing the traditional music of Scotland. It is only natural that because Banchory was the birthplace of the legendary James Scott Skinner the Society should have a leaning towards the music of its most famous son. The Society which has a membership of around seventy Seniors and forty Juniors, draws its members from a wide area Banchory, Ballater, Aboyne, Tarland, Huntly, Aberdeen, Culter and Kintore and by their efforts all that is best in Scottish music is kept to the fore.

Caledonian Fiddle Orchestra
Formerly known as the Glasgow Caledonian Strathspey and Reel Society was founded over a 100 years ago by a group of friends to promote the playing and enjoyment of traditional Scottish music. At the moment they have over 100 playing members, mainly fiddlers, backed up by accordions, bass, drums and piano. The group has toured Canada and Ireland and have several T.V. and radio appearances to their credit. Young and old come from all and meet together in the playing season (October to May) on a Tuesday night for rehearsals in the Saint Columba's Gaelic church on St. Vincent Street in Glasgow. Over the years the group has helped raise many thousands of pounds for good causes.

Elgin Strathspey and Reel Society
The Society was revived by Willie MacPherson in the 1970’s having been in abeyance since the early 50s. Following Willie's death the Society has continued to prosper with Bill Brian at the helm. In the last few years, the Society members have been endeavouring to promote themselves and their music, nationally and internationally, and the group have played in such places as Denmark and Ireland.
The Society, each year, always makes a point of visiting other similar organisations in the U.K. by sending players to take part in their rallies, concerts, and music making events, thus keeping in touch with current trends etc., in traditional music. The group is strong in membership, all filled with enthusiasm and with the motivation to carry them forward, in the knowledge that they are doing their best to keep alive the traditions of our national music.

Lothian Schools Strathspey and Reel Society
As part of the movement to preserve and develop Scottish traditional fiddle playing the Lothian Schools Strathspey and Reel Society was formed in 1983 by its conductor Yla Steven. Its membership is drawn from pupils attending schools in the City of Edinburgh and surrounding Lothians who meet weekly to rehearse their skills. The current membership is around 40. The Society gives public performances and takes part in competitions and displays fostering the playing of Scottish fiddle music by young people.

The McEwan’s Sessions Venue of the Year Award
Craigie Inn, Craigie, Ayrshire
Friendly, family atmosphere with lots of learners joining in to make it a great session. “Great welcome, great response to what the musicians are doing and lots of joining in. We have a young squad and it gives them experience of sessions they don’t get anywhere else. Great balance, mutual respect.”

Fountain Bar, Aberfeldy
Good sessions where folk really joined in and even went home to get instruments. The quality of this venue is proved by the fact that they have continued beyond the McEwan’s Sessions programme to fund their own sessions independently. “This place rocks and you can be sure of a warm welcome.”

Furnace Inn, Furnace, Near Inveraray
The staff are great- “the perfect host”. They provide meals and a brilliant atmosphere. “Great guy, great place, great punters. 5 star, our new home from home.”

The Lismore, Glasgow WINNER
This gem of a pub in the west end of Glasgow is one of the true advocates of Traditional Scottish Music in Glasgow. They have live sessions every week and also host a series of outdoor sessions during the West End Festival as well as a dedicated St Andrew’s Day celebration.

Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by Wellington Consultancy
Breabach (Calum MacCrimmon (pipes), Ewan Robertson (guitar, pipes and fiddle), Patsy Reid (fiddle), Donal Brown (Whistles, Pipes, Step-dancing))
Since forming in 2002, Breabach have stormed festivals and folk clubs across Scotland, Europe and beyond with their defining Highland pipe and dance-driven sound. Breabach are commended not just for the strathspeys and reels but for their sympathetic treatment of slower airs and songs. A great combination of bagpipes, fiddles, guitar, stepdance.

Jenna Cumming WINNER
Jenna has a rare singing talent, which has been evident since she was a very young girl. Encouraged by her mother, Gaelic singer Chrissie MacVicar, she has gone on to win no less than 3 Gold Medals at the National Mòd. In Jenna, you have a lovely, natural voice, and the clearest Gaelic you could wish for.

Sandy Meldrum
Sandy plays piano and accordion to great and innovative effect and has developed a keen sense of balance between his roots in Scottish traditional and dance-band music, and his instinct for exploring boundaries and new music. His CD Scottish Piano Fusion was described by Scotland on Sunday as a ‘brilliant debut”. Sandy is the first-ever Honours graduate in Traditional Piano from the RSAMD Scottish Music Degree Course.

Stuart Cassells
Stuart is the fine young piper who took the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall by Storm in 2005 when he won the prestigious BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2006 Award. He is combining his traditional piping background with a real talent to entertain while at the same time making no small contribution to the world of contemporary piping. He has performed at many prestigious events both solo and with his band The Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

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