North bands need YOUR nominations as MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2019 voting opens

NORTH trad and folk bands need your nominations as voting opens for the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2019 nominations and Top 20 Albums longlist.

Known as the “folk Oscars”, the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2019 returns to Aberdeen Music Hall on Saturday, December 7.

The night will feature live performances from leading Scottish musicians and singers, including internationally acclaimed artists Skerryvore, Benedict Morris, Heisk and the Aberdeenshire Folk Project, alongside further Scottish traditional music luminaries yet to be announced.

Broadcast live on BBC ALBA and around the world via the iPlayer, the highly regarded annual awards give recognition to excellence within Scotland's thriving musical culture, encompassing all aspects of making and performing traditional music from composing, Gaelic song, folk, Scottish dance music, pipe bands and a host of others in between.

Anna-Wendy Stevenson, music programme leader at UHI – who are one of the award sponsors this year – said: “We are thrilled to be the new sponsor of the Instrumentalist of the Year Award.

“We are proud to be supporting this highly valuable and celebrated national and internationally recognised awards programme which highlights the wealth of talent and skill we have in traditional music in Scotland.”

Public nominations and annual voting on the Top 20 Albums for the awards are open now – go to www.scotstradmusicawards.com