The legendary and fascinating Scotland not only enchants with its unique natural beauty - the Scottish musical landscape is rich in traditional folk that can still be heard throughout the country. The younger musicians are also enthusiastic about singing old ballads and playing fiddle, pipes, whistles, accordion or harp, often reinterpreted and provided with contemporary folk elements. Scottish tunes are now even being made suitable for the dance floor in so-called "trad discos" by mixing reels, jigs and polkas with pop, disco and electronic music.
A number of prestigious folk competitions – such as the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award or the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards – honor the most virtuoso young musicians on the Scottish scene every year. With the Young Scots Trad Awards Winner Tour, Concert Connections is bringing some of these impressive musicians back to Germany in 2023. In the concert, Graham Mackenzie (violin) , Eilidh Cormack (vocals) and David Shedden (bagpipes) , supported by Innes White (accompaniment guitar) , will first present their skills as soloists before delivering an energetic session in the second part of the program: pure Scotland!
The Young Scots Trad Awards Winner Tour took the hearts of the German audience by storm - see press reviews 2018, 2019 and 2020 on the "Reviews" page.
Short information about the musicians:
Graham Mackenzie: violin
Awards/Titles/Nominations: Title Up and Coming Artist of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2018 with the band Assynt, Winner Scottish Fiddle Championships, 2 x BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award Finalist and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Finalist of the Year Awards; nominated for Composer of the Year 2016 and winner of the inaugural (2007) Highland Young Musician of the Year competition
Projects: Band 'Assynt', workshops, violin teacher
Sound sample: https://www.assyntmusic.com/video
Eilidh Cormack: Vocals
Awards/Titles/Nominations: Gold Medal at The Royal National Mòd, Gaelic Singer of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2018
Projects: Solo performances, trio “Sian”, collaboration with Ged Grimes from Simple Minds for The Bard's Tale IV, an Xbox game.
sound sample:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQZZ0syj4YY David Shedden: Bagpipes
Awards/Titles/Nominations: Winner Duncan Johnston Competition, The Captain John MacLellan Competition, winner of the Glasgow Highland Club Medal, finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award
Projects: Band Assynt, solo and band performances, bagpipe workshops, piping instructor
Sound sample: https://www.assyntmusic.com/video
Innes White: guitar
Awards/Titles/Nominations: Winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award with the Mischa MacPherson Trio in 2014, nominated for Musician of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards.
Projects: Band Assynt, backing guitarist in various formations including Hannah Rarity, Siobhan Miller, workshops
Sound sample: https://www.assyntmusic.com/video
Facebook: Young Scots Trad Awards Winner Tour
Photos (musicians): Martin Venherm; Photo (singer): Kris Kesiak
Tour in 2023
February 22, 2023 , 7:30 p.m. - Mennonite Church, North => Tickets
February 23, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Haxtumer Speicher, Aurich => Tickets
February 24th, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Glashaus, Herten => tickets
February 25th, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Event hall of the Kreissparkasse, Syke => tickets
February 26, 2023, 5:00 p.m. - Theater and Konzerthaus Solingen, Chamber Music Hall, Solingen => tickets
February 27, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Wilhelm 13, Oldenburg = tickets
February 28, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Cloth Factory, Trier => tickets
March 2, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Dieselstrasse Cultural Center, Esslingen => tickets
March 3, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Kelkheim Jazz Club, Kelkheim => tickets
March 4, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Kelterscheune, Rödermark => tickets
March 5, 2023, 7:00 p.m. - Gottesacker Church, Bad Langensalza => tickets
March 6 2023, 7:30 p.m. - Nachfolge-Christi-Kirche, Bonn
March 7, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Stadttheater, Lippstadt => tickets
March 8, 7:30 p.m. - Kulturspeicher, Leer => Tickets
March 9, 8:00 p.m. - Baldauf-Villa, Marienberg => Tickets
March 10, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Malzhaus, Plauen => tickets
March 11, 2023 , 8:00 p.m. - Kulturlant, Lantershofen => Tickets
March 12, 2023, 4:00 p.m. - Muziekclub 't Ey, St. Niklaas (Belgium) => Tickets
March 15, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Löwensaal, Hohenems (Austria)
March 16, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - La Capella, Bern => tickets
March 17, 2023 , 8:00 p.m. - Haberhaus, Schaffhausen => tickets
March 18, 2023, 8:00 p.m. - Barakuba, Basel => www.barakuba.ch
