To celebrate the ongoing work of the Traditional Music and Song organisation founded in 1966, the TMSA will be showcasing 9 of Scotland’s finest young musicians in a nation wide tour in September run in partnership with the BLAS festival. Many of our own Highland musicians will feature in this nation wide tour which starts right here in the Highlands celebrating our rich musical heritage as part of the year of culture.

Six of the young musicians took part in the finals of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year held at the Celtic Connections festival in January where Gaelic singer, Catriona Watt from Lewis was declared the winner. The other musicians on the TMSA Young Trad Tour 2007 are Edinburgh based fiddler, Mike Vass from Nairn, Gaelic singer Darren Maclean from Skye, Glasgow based button accordionist Martin Hunter, Canadian born piper, Calum MacCrimmon and flautist Calum Stewart from Garmouth in Morayshire. Accompanists this year will be Innes Watson on guitar and Mhairi Hall on keyboard.

The tour will also include last year’s winner, fiddler Shona Mooney from the Borders who has found her career has greatly benefited from the many opportunities offered since winning last year’s competition.

The tour begins with 3 venues hosted by the BLAS festival
Sept 6 Culloden Academy, Inverness, Sept 7 Seaboard Memorial Hall, Balintore, Ross Shire and Sept 8, Lochcarron Village Hall. All the concerts begin at 7.30 and tickets are available online at www.thebooth.co.uk

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

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.