Our Tutors and Courses
Ross Ainslie - Whistle
Ross Ainslie is one of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians and composers, playing pipes, whistles and cittern. He is renowned for his highly acclaimed solo material, and as a skilled performer and prolific collaborator who performs regularly with bands Treacherous Orchestra – of which he is a founding member – Salsa Celtica, Dougie Maclean, Ali Hutton, Jarlath Henderson, Charlie Mckerron, Tim Edey, Hamish Napier, India Alba and has performed with Kate Rusby, Blue Rose Code, Zakir Hussain, Trilok Gurtu, Capercaillie, Shooglenifty, Carl Barat, Papon, Karsh Kale, Flook, Breabach, Soumik Datta and Patsy Reid.
Ross's Courses:
Jenn Butterworth - Guitar
Jenn Butterworth is one of the most notable folk guitarists in the UK acoustic music scene. She currently holds the title ‘Musician of the Year’ from the Scots Trad Music Awards, and was nominated for the same title in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. She has been a key member of a range of high profile folk music projects, including Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton’s SYMBIOSIS Big Band, award winning folk powerhouse Kinnaris Quintet, and recently a member of folk supergroup ‘Songs of Separation’ involving an array of prominent folk artists including Eliza Carthy, Lady Maisery and Karine Polwart.
Jenn's Courses:
Mairearad Green - Accordion
Renowned for her deft and lyrical accordion style, as well as her dextrous piping, Mairearad Green is in great demand not only as a performer, but also as a composer and teacher. Often seen on stage alongside multi-instrumentalist Anna Massie, composer Mike Vass, piping supergroup Tryst and singer-songwriter, King Creosote. She has also previously toured with The Poozies, Karine Polwart, Box Club, Lauren MacColl and The Unusual Suspects.
Mairearad's Courses:
Kevin Henderson - Fiddle
Kevin Henderson is regarded as one of Shetlands finest fiddle players and is in hot demand playing with some of the best known groups and musicians in the folk music scene. He is a founding member of award winning Shetland powerhouse, Fiddlers’ Bid, has been a member of folk music legends, Boys of the Lough, since 2001, a member of Scottish super group Session A9 since 2004 and co-founded the Nordic Fiddlers Bloc in 2009.
Kevin's Course:
Calum MacCrimmon - Whistle
Calum MacCrimmon is a whistle player, piper and tutor based in Glasgow. Perhaps best known as a founding member of the multi award winning folk band Breabach, he additionally performs and writes with groups such as Tryst, Man’s Ruin, Grit Orchestra, Seudan and The Unusual Suspects. Calum received a nomination for Composer of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2012 – revered for tunes such as ‘Knees Up in Hanoi’ and ‘Under the Influence’.
Calum's Courses:
Alistair McCulloch - Fiddle
Alistair McCulloch hails from Ayr in Scotland and is one of the country’s best known fiddle performers, teachers and composers with many appearances on radio and television. Past winner of many fiddle championships, Alistair is fiddle instructor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
The Alistair McCulloch Trio features Aaron Jones of Old Blind Dogs, and former Capercaillie whistle wizard Marc Duff. His playing has seen him confirmed “as one of the finest fiddlers and composers of his generation” by The Living Tradition.
Alistair's Courses:
Laura-Beth Salter - Mandolin
Mandolinist, tutor, singer and composer Laura-Beth Salter, is a founding member of award winning folk bands The Shee & Kinnaris Quintet. She is also involved in a range of performance, composition and teaching projects within the Scottish traditional music scene – VOX, Jenn & Laura-Beth, The Daddy Naggins, & From The Ground.
An experienced teacher, Laura-Beth runs the Glasgow Mandolin Band, teaches mandolin at the Glasgow Folk Music Workshop, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Falkirk Traditional Music Project.
Laura-Beth's Course:
Owen Sinclair - Guitar
A multi-instrumentalist within the Glasgow trad scene, Owen Sinclair has made his mark as an international performer and teacher.
Performing regularly with Tannara, Westward the Light and Inyal, as well as staple tutor at the renowned Glasgow Fiddle Workshop. He also performs as part of the Bell Rock Cèilidh Band .
Owen's Course:
John Somerville - Accordion
Accordionist John Somerville is one of the current crop of exciting musicians to emerge form Scotland’s vibrant Folk scene. His current musical itinerary includes playing with supergroup Treacherous Orchestra, Cask Strength Ceilidh Band and along with outstanding fiddler Adam Sutherland. He has also worked with David Byrne, Salsa Celtica, Franz Ferdinand, Session A9, Babelfish and Croft No Five. He has taught at organisations including the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Fèisean Nan Gàidheal, University of the Highlands and Islands, Falkirk Traditional Music Project and Celtic Connections festival.