Fiddler Couper nominated for top music award
Shetland fiddle player Ross Couper is in the running for a high-profile music award.
With his musical partner Tom Oakes, they have been nominated in the category “Best Up-and-Coming Artist of the Year” at this year’s MG Alba Scottish Traditional Music Awards.
The awards, now in their ninth year and promoted by the organisation Hands Up for Trad, are held annually to celebrate the best in Scottish traditional music. This year the awards ceremony and gala concert will be held at the Perth Concert Hall on Saturday 3rd December when all the winners in the various categories will be announced.
Ross said: “We are very excited about being nominated for such a prestigious award. Simply being nominated is very important to us, and hopefully recognition of what Tom and myself are doing as a duo.
“We’ve had a very successful year so far, including playing at the Tall Ships in Lerwick, so this will hopefully enhance our profile still further and is really the icing on the cake in terms of what’s been happening to us so far this year.”
Davie Gardner of local company Atlantic Edge Music Services, who provides management and agency services for Ross and Tom, said: “The MG Alba Scottish Traditional Music Awards are a hugely important event in Scotland’s musical calendar and generally viewed as the pinnacle of achievement at the present time, so I’m personally delighted that Ross and Tom have been nominated for an important award like this so early in their musical careers. It’s well deserved and good luck to them on the night itself.”
Another Atlantic Edge Music artist nominated for an award at the same event is Orkney fiddle player and teacher Douglas Montgomery of The Chair and Saltfishforty – both bands are also on the Atlantic Edge roster.
Douglas has been nominated in the Music Tutor of the Year category, while in the past The Chair themselves have tasted success at the awards through winning Scottish Folk Band of the Year a few years back.
The winners of the various awards are largely decided by public vote. People can vote for your favourites in each category by going to the website www.handsupfortrad.co.uk and following the links from there.
Karen Harrison
Saw Ross Couper as Park bench Social Club a few years ago and thought he was truly a wonderful fiddle player. Caught him by chance while on holiday near Kendal – still play the CD a lot, like as I am writing this! I await with interest.
Les Lowes
Ross was on cracking form when he entertained at the Tall Ships, as was Tom, both on Victoria Pier and on the big stage at Holmsgarth. Delighted he’s up for this award; he has certainly got the talent to earn it. Good luck with this one boys!
ian tinkler
It is great to think how well Shetland’s home grown talent does in our traditional venues, “both on Victoria Pier and on the big stage at Holmsgarth” to quote Les. Just think how much atmosphere and tradition will be lost if these artists are transplanted into the glass and plastic “gin palace” of Mareel. If it ever opens and stops leaking!