“…a force of nature” ***** (5 STARS) -The Scotsman

The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre is delighted to welcome 2022 MG ALBA Musician of The Year nominee,Ryan Youngas he brings new and exciting ideas to traditional Scottish music, receiving international praise for his spell-binding interpretations on the fiddle. His debut album was recorded with four time GRAMMY winner Jesse Lewis (who has worked with the likes of Bela Fleck and Yo Yo Ma) and launched at Feakle Traditional Music Festival in County Clare, accompanied by renowned guitarist, Dennis Cahill (Martin Hayes; The Gloaming).

Focussing on traditional Scottish music, Ryan brings new life to very old, often forgotten tunes by playing them in his own unique way. His fiddle playing is brimming with fresh melodic ideas, an uplifting rhythmic drive and a great depth of dynamics and precision. His sound is very distinctive and takes the listener on an emotional and adventurous journey in any performance.

Ryan holds both a first class honours and a Masters degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He was twice a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards and twice a finalist in the prestigious BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of The Year. He was awarded ‘Up And Coming Artist Of The Year’ at the Scots Trad Awards in 2017, nominated for the Horizon Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2018 and awardedFolking.com's Musician Of The Year title, also in 2018.

Further MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards nominations include Album Of the Year, and Folk Band Of The Year. Ryan Young was also the only UK artist selected to perform at the prestigious World Music conference, WOMEX, in 2019.

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“He has created his own unique way of playing and is finding great emotional depth in his native Scottish Music. Ryan Young is an up and coming musician who is gaining more and more well deserved recognition. I feel that he has the potential to make a very significant contribution to the Scottish tradition.” – Martin Hayes

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‘…Young’s playing is so richly expressive, channelling such deep emotion, that it feels like a dramatic performance in a theatre…one feels that here we have a potential heir to Duncan Chisholm for sheer emotional intensity. It’s a remarkably mature debut album from one so young.’ – Paul Matheson

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‘…the man makes the fiddle articulate the widest range of emotions and illustrations – and listening to him play you realise he is surely in possession of a magnificent gift’ – FolkWords

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‘….leading the ‘New Wave’ of traditional Scottish fiddlers, virtuoso Ryan Young’ – BBC World on 3