BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2008 Finalists

Steven Blake (17) - Livingston (Pipes, whistle)
Steven is a fine young piper with an interest in contemporary Scottish folk music. He is a founder member of the folk band ‘Flow’ so named because their music ‘flows’. He cites amongst his influences, Fred Morrison, Martyn Bennett, Finlay MacDonald, Michael McGoldrick and folk band Back of the Moon. Steven not only plays Highland pipes, Small pipes and Whistle with the band he also enjoys composing tunes for them. The band has only been in existence for a few months and they are working hard to become established on the traditional music scene.

Amy Lord (22) – Dunblane (Scots Song)
Amy started singing in her early teens at Dunblane Folk Club. Greatly influenced by her mother who is also a traditional singer and by Gordeanna McCulloch and Karine Polwart,, Amy obtained a BA Honours degree in Scottish Music at the RSAMD. She has toured in Scotland, Denmark and Germany and performed with folklorist/singer Margaret Bennett at Celtic Connections Festival. Amy teaches Scots Song to a traditional music group in Glasgow and runs her own successful women’s singing group in Dunblane called ‘The Lliltin’ Lassies’. She was the winner of the ‘Women’s Traditional Singing’ cup at Auchtermuchty Folk Festival in 2006.

James Duncan MacKenzie - (18) Isle of Lewis (Pipes, smallpipes, flute, whistles)
James has just completed a year’s study of traditional music with bagpipes at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Benbecula under the guidance of Iain MacDonald of Glenuig. He has won solo bagpipe competitions at both local and national level, the most notable being the Scottish Junior Championship in both 2005 & 2006 when his prize was a two week trip to the USA for master class tuition at the Balmoral School of Piping. James has been invited to perform several recitals throughout Scotland, Ireland and the USA and has performed alongside pipers such as Alasdair Gillies, Duncan MacGillivray and Chris Armstrong.

Robert Menzies – (17) Dumfries (Accordion, piano)
Robert has been offered a scholarship at RSAMD to study on the BA (Scottish Music) course. He has played music since he was 8 years old and has already won many competitions including ‘The Highlands and Islands Accordion Masters’ title this year. He has his own band and performs regularly at festivals and events, locally, nationally and internationally . He is also a member of accordion band Koda and performed with them on three occasions at the prestigious ‘T in the Park’.

Ewan Robertson (24) – Carrbridge (Guitar, song)
Ewan’s original instruments of choice were fiddle and bagpipes, but, whilst studying at the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music, a lack of guitar accompanists at the school caused him to become interested in this instrument and to make it his main focus for study. Moving to Glasgow to do his degree in Outdoor Education, he became part of the folk scene, regularly attending sessions and absorbing influences from musicians such as Ross Martin and Kevin MacKenzie. He helped form the band Breabach, wining a Danny Award with them at Celtic Connections Festival in 2005. The band released a CD ‘The Big Spree’ on the Veritical label in 2007.

Ailie Robertson (23) – Edinburgh (Clarsach)
Ailie began playing Clarsach when she was twelve and quickly became involved in the Scottish harp scene. After graduating from Cambridge University she moved to Ireland where she studied at the World Academy of Music and Dance focusing on the differences in Scottish and Irish harp styles. She has played as a solo artist and with the group Na Clarsairean, and most recently has been touring with "The Outside Track" a band featuring artists from Ireland, Scotland and Canada. Ailie, the winner of the first prize at the London Harp competition and four consecutive Gold Medals for clarsach at the Royal National Mod, is involved in a number of teaching projects and is co-founder with Rosie Morton of the Borders Harp Weekend.

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