Traditional music enthusiasts urged to cast votes for Alba music awards

Nov 13 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

TRADITIONAL music enthusiasts have just one week left in which to cast their votes for the 2009 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.

Voting opened on November 2 after the results of the nomination procedure had been collated, leaving four nominations in each category to go through to the voting process.

The awards ceremony will take place in Dumfries on Saturday, November 28, as part of the Homecoming Scotland finale celebrations.

Perthshire-based musicians pepper the list of hopefuls. Leading the charge is Patsy Reid from Knapp in the Carse of Gowrie, who is a nominee in the Instrumentalist of the Year category.

Patsy was among a select handful of top musicians commissioned by Celtic Connections to compose a piece for the Homecoming Suite – a brand new work premiered in January to herald the start of Scotland’s Homecoming year.

Live Act of the Year nominees include The Treacherous Orchestra – so impressive at this September’s Gordon Duncan Memorial Concert in Perth Concert Hall – whose members include Perth’s Ross Ainslie and Methven’s Ali Hutton on pipes and whistles; and another ‘supergroup’, Session A9, with Perth’s Brian McAlpine on keyboards.

Music Tutor of the Year nominees include two Perthshire men, Nigel Gatherer from Crieff and Ian Duncan, Burrelton; and Blairgowrie-based The Glencraig Scottish Dance Band with bandleader Nicol McLaren are up for the Scottish Dance Band of the Year award.

Among the six Scots Traditional Music Hall of Fame inductees for 2009 is Scottish Dance Band legend Bill Black from Stanley, who shares this year’s roll of honour with Dick Gaughan, Rona Lightfoot, Jim Kilpatrick, Phil Cunningham and Sheena Wellington.

Simon Thoumire, director of Hands Up for Trad and producer of the awards, said: “We were inundated with entries for this year’s awards and we are thrilled by the standard. It’s down to the public now to pick the winners so be sure to vote before November 20.”

Marie Christie, Homecoming Scotland project director, commented: “The Scots Trad Music Awards showcase the very best of traditional Scottish music and are a highlight within the Homecoming Scotland finale celebrations taking place across Scotland from November 26-30.”

Votes for the 2009 Scots Trad Music Awards can be cast online at www.handsupfortrad.co.uk\tradmusicawards/