Tutors for Easter 2010

	Firefly Arts Firefly Arts aims to enhance and enrich the lives of young people through a range of drama and theatre related workshops and high quality performance projects of a professional standard. Firefly was founded in 1986 to create an organisation which would use drama as a means to securing a range of social and educational benefits for young people, as well as developing their creative and artistic potential. They currently deliver 55 weekly drama workshops to young people across West Lothian East Renfrewshire & Angus.
	Ruairidh Campbell A pupil of virtuoso fiddler Douglas Lawrence, much of Ruaridh’s musical development took place in the solo fiddle competition scene, winning the Scottish national MOD. In 2002, he was the Oban Highlands & Islands invitational ‘Fiddle Master’ as well as winner of the prestigious Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship. Ruaridh graduated from University of Strathclyde in 2005 where he was studying classical music under violinist Clive Thomas. As well as writing and performing with Angus Lyon, Ruaridh has recently recorded sessions for bands and artists such as >Million Dollar Disco, the 44’s, multi-instrumentalist Steve Lawrence, and piper Chris Armstrong.
	Steve Fivey Steve is originally from Denny near Falkirk and started playing Snare Drum in The Denny & Dunipace Pipe Band aged 12. He started playing Drum Kit aged 16 and was introduced to percussion whilst studying at Jewel & Esk Valley College. Since then he has played throughout Scotland with various bands including Pipedown and The Tartan Amoebas.
	Gary Innes Gary Innes is from Spean Bridge in the Highlands of Scotland and has been playing music professionally since 2003. He released his first album "How's the Craic" in 2005 under the Skipinnish label and since has started his own record label PDP (Purple Dougal Production) with best friend and co-owner Ewan Robertson. Ewan and Gary released their own album "Shouts" in April 2009 under PDP which has featured in many radio stations World wide and on a BBC Sports programme since it's release. The album was also BBC Radio nan Gaidheal's album of the month in May 2009. Gary is also part of the acclaimed super group Box Club which has 4 of Scotland's finest young accordion players.
	Ruairidh Macmillan Ruairidh's was the winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2009. His main influences have been Angus Grant Snr and Liz Carroll. He has wide musical horizons which have spurred him on to pushing musical boundaries and fusing idioms. He has just graduated from the RSAMD and is currenntly performing with the Paul McKenna Band.
	Anna Massie Anna Massie was the winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2003 Award. A talented multi-instrumentalist, she excels in playing the fiddle, mandolin and tenor banjo. Though perhaps most impressive is her guitar playing - equally at home either accompanying in her unique rhythmic style or flatpicking tunes, Massie’s dexterity shines through. She has performed twice at the Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton. As well as solo performances, Anna also formed the Anna Massie Band – a trio featuring the impressive guitar and vocal talents of Jenn Butterworth and the outstanding accordion and border pipe playing of Mairearad Green. With performances at Celtic Connections, Shetland, Orkney, Hebridean Celtic and Tønder festivals, this year has seen these talented young women’s careers go from strength to strength.
	Mark Neal Mark is a multi instrumentalist focusing on playing guitar and singing, but can be found playing many other instruments including cittern, flute, whistles, percussion, mandolin etc. around the Edinburgh session scene. Originally from East Kilbride he has lived in Edinburgh since moving there to study for a physics degree and then a musical acoustics PhD in 1993. When not playing gigs or teaching Mark also runs the recording studio "The Sonic Lodge" and does sound system installation and consultancy. Mark has always been interested in all types of music and has played with a number of different bands in many different genres. He enjoys blending the traditional songs and tunes with influences from a number of different styles, creating something contemporary but still linked to its musical heritage. Mark plays as part of a duo with Eilidh Steel and with folk/rock ceilidh band Teannaich and has in the past played in a number of other bands including funk band Hejira.
	Patsy Reid Patsy Reid is from Knapp in Perthshire, has a great amount of experience in performing and teaching both traditional and classical music. She remains the youngest ever winner of the prestigious Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship and released her debut solo album “With Complements” in 2002. At 17, Patsy was a finalist in the original BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award and is now a member of the band Breabach who won a Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections in 2005. Breabach have recently recorded their debut album and were nominated for best Up and Coming Artist at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2006. The following year they were nominated for Best Folk Band. Patsy also performs with Maeve McKinnon and in 2008, Patsy was asked to write a New Voices commission for Celtic Connections entitled 'Bridging the Gap'.
	Ewan Robertson 24-year-old guitarist and singer Ewan Robertson hails from Carrbridge in Strathspey. He was introduced to traditional music at an early age, attending ceilidhs in the village hall and listening to Capercaillie tapes in the back of his mum’s Volkswagen Beetle! He began learning fiddle and chanter at the age of seven, studying both at school and privately, and through the local Fèis movement which provided him with the opportunity to perform with other young musicians and learn from those who inspired him. Ewan was accepted into the National Centre of Excellence for Traditional Music in Scotland in 2000 where he studied fiddle and pipes. A shortage of accompanists at the school, however, led Ewan experimenting with the guitar, an instrument he continued to play whilst he was enrolled for a degree in Outdoor Education in Glasgow. Here he used the vibrant session scene to develop a very driving style of guitar accompaniment. Ewan Graduated with First Class Honours in 2005 and helped to form the band Breabach, who won a Danny Award at Celtic Connections in 2005, and were nominated for Scottish Folk Band of the Year at the 2007 Scots Trad Music Awards. More recently Ewan became the first singer / guitarist to win the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award. When not on the road playing music, Ewan works as a part time fire fighter in Carrbridge.
	James Ross James Ross, from Wick, plays piano, keyboards and accordion. He began playing music at the age of eight, studying under respected musician and composer, the late Addie Harper. He went on to study at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow, from which he graduated with a BA in Scottish Music in July 2000. James, as part of a group, was a finalist in the 1999 Radio 2 Young Folk Award. He has performed extensively throughout Britain, Ireland and America, and has recently recorded a live broadcast on solo piano for Celtic Connections, BBC Radio Scotland. James currently plays piano as part of Gaelic singer James Graham's trio and he also works and tours with fiddler Anna-Wendy Stevenson. He has just released his debut album on Greentrax Records.
	Matheu Watson Matheu is a multi-instrumentalist playing various Guitars, Fiddle and Whistles and has worked with a number of traditional and Celtic musicians including Anna Wendy Stevenson, Fred Morrison, Anxo Lorenzo, Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson, Salsa Celtica, Bagad Kemper, Paddy Keenan, Iain MacDonald, Siobhan Miller and Jeana Leslie. Matheu has toured extensively throughout Europe including Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia and the UK. He is also a Gaelic speaker having gone through Gaelic Medium Education and studied at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Matheu is a composer writing in various styles. He also has media experience including studio, television and radio work.
	Alasdair White Alasdair comes from the Island of Lewis, one of the Gaelic speaking Outer Hebrides where music and culture remain strong daily forces. Alasdair has been an award-winning fiddler since he emerged at age thirteen. Still only in his early twenties he is already well known as Battlefield Band's virtuoso fiddle player where his musicianship and tune making have had a great influence on the bands repertoire and continuing success. He plays in what might be called a "North-west" Scottish style, heavily derived from the piping tradition. For those that love just good music, then Alasdair's playing and tune making offer a privileged panorama of the exciting traditional music of Scotland today. As well as fiddle, Alasdair also plays Whistle,Banjo, Bazouki, Highland and Small Pipes, Bodhran.