This year the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the organisation with a national tour featuring some of the best and most promising talents on the traditional music scene. What better way to celebrate the ongoing work of the organisation founded in 1966 by showcasing young musicians carrying on the rich musical heritage we are so fortunate to enjoy in Scotland.

The six fine young musicians were in the finals of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year held at the Celtic Connections festival in January where Borders fiddler Shona Mooney was declared the winner. The other musicians on the TMSA Young Trad Tour 2006 are Glasgow based Kirsty Cotter, piper Fraser Shaw from Islay, Gaelic singer Darren Maclean, Borders based button accordionist Christopher Keatinge and from Strathspey, multi instrumentalist Hamish Napier.

The tour will also include last year’s winner, piper Stuart Cassells who has found his career has greatly benefited from the many opportunities offered since winning last year’s competition. Guitar accompaniment this year will be Innes Watson from the Borders.

The tour will start on Thursday 21st September in Islay with a concert at Rhinns Hall, Portnahaven on Friday 22nd September, Resolis Hall on the Black Isle will host the concert on Saturday Sept 23rd and then on to Orkney for a concert in King St Halls, Kirkwall on Sunday 24th Sept. The musicians then travel to Huntly for a concert in the Gordon Arms on Tuesday Sept 26th with the TMSA Special Anniversary Concert in the Town Hall Blairgowrie on Wednesday 27th September. Thursday 28th Sept sees the band in the Linlithgow Academy Theatre and then on to the Borders for a performance in the Wynd Theatre, Melrose on Friday 29th. The Byre Theatre in St Andrews in Fife will host the concert on Saturday 30th September and finally the musicians will finish off their tour with a performance in Castle Douglas Town Hall in Dumfries and Galloway on Sunday October 1.

There is also a series of cultural exchange workshops which will happen in connection with the tour. This gives the musicians an opportunity to interact and share their music with musicians in a local context.

The TMSA gratefully acknowledges support from the Scottish Arts Council for this tour would also like to welcome the Stagecoach Group as principal sponsors for this event.

Full details of the tour and contact information can be found on the TMSA website www.tmsa.org.uk  or by phoning Caroline Hewat on 01349 877434.