Many of today’s top names in Scottish traditional music have spent formative years living and honing their craft on the music courses at Lews Castle College UHI on the Islands of Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. In a beautiful and nurturing environment rooted in Gaelic culture, they have forged friends, made memories and learned from inspiring musicians and tradition bearers. This 18-track album, The Musician’s Nest showcases a sample of current and alumni students – many of whom have made their names as award-winning musicians performing on national and international stages, including: James Duncan MacKenzie, Angus Nicolson Trio, Mairi Therese Gilfedder, Robbie Greig, Seonaidh MacIntyre with Trail West, Ali Turner with Tide Lines, Greg Barry and Euan Smillie with Elephant Sessions, Tom Callister and Greg Barry with Mec Lir.

Over the years, students have joined us from the local community and mainland Scotland to Austria, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and the USA. The one-year HNC and FE courses confirmed to many students their commitment to music and Uist as their destination for study. Now with the development of degree provision in Uist with the BA (Hons) Applied Music and the MA Music and the Environment many have chosen to stay on.

The ethos of the courses in Uist is nurturing; promoting independence, professional engagement and collaboration; local, national, international, and technologically mediated. Local community groups including Ceòlas, Taigh Chearsabhagh Arts centre, Stòras Uibhist and Fèisean provide many opportunities to develop performance and teaching skills development. Each year brings a new adventure- whether it is working with the award-winning Soundstorm Music Education Agency to deliver workshops across England and Scotland to over 4000 pupils, recording tracks for a new early years Gaelic language AP (Orain na Cloinne Bige), collecting songs for Fèisean nan Gaidheal’s Fuaran project, performing at Celtic Connections and Celtic Colours, or participating in teaching and performance tours of Asturias in Spain. Students themselves have developed entrepreneurial initiatives, which have contributed to the student and local community, for example Cameron Grant’s South Uist folk club and Chloe Steele’s Kildonan Ceilidhs.

This Musician’s Nest has been built and feathered by a wonderful team of academic staff and tradition bearers: Piper Iain MacDonald, Gaelic singer Paul McCallum, Lews Castle College UHI academic teaching staff: Will Lamb who was at the helm developing the first courses (2001-2010), Mhairi Hall (2003-2006), Anna-Wendy Stevenson (2006- present), Simon Bradley (2012-present), Roisin King (2015 – present) and guest lecturers too many to name but deeply appreciated.

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