Arts / Amy ‘delighted’ to be named young trad musician of the year
A PIANIST from Shetland is celebrating after winning BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician 2023 contest.
Amy Laurenson, 23, picked up the coveted prize at a televised Celtic Connections event in Glasgow on Sunday evening.
She said: “I am stunned and delighted to be the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician for 2023 and to follow in the footsteps of past winners, who are such an inspiration.”
Amy was raised in Shetland before heading off to study at the well-respected Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow.
She initially studied the classical performance course but switched to traditional music in her second year, and she graduated in June.
Amy was named Shetland’s junior young musician of the year back in 2011 at the age of 11 – not playing the piano, but the bassoon – before bagging the main award in 2015.
Gareth Hydes, commissioning editor of BBC Scotland, said: “Amy is a truly worthy winner amid a stunning array of talent this year.
“Once again the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician award has resulted in a final of six amazing and emerging performers.
“My congratulations to Amy and I hope, as with other previous winners, this award is a stepping stone – and hopefully a major highlight – of a blossoming career in Scottish traditional music.”
As part of the 2023 award, Amy wins a recording session with BBC Scotland, an opportunity to perform at the Scots Trad Music Awards later in the year, plus a one-year membership to the Musicians Union.
All finalists get a one-year membership to the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland (TMSA) plus the opportunity to take part in the TMSA’s annual Young Trad Tour.
Laurenson has also been invited to perform at this year’s Shetland Folk Festival.
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