Bruce MacGregor

One of the most influential musicians of his generation, Bruce MacGregor has been a massive driving force in the revitalisation of Scottish folk music.

Founding the phenomenally successful Blazin Fiddles in 1998, his driving yet lyrical style of playing alongside his passion for the history and culture of the Highlands, has helped inspire a new generation of musicians and lovers of traditional music across the world.

Isla Callister

Manx musician and Gaelic speaker Isla Callister is a fiddle player from the Isle of Man. Raised on the rich culture and music from the island, her music reflects a strong connection to her native language, music and home. She blends this with influences from the prominent Irish session scene on the island and her new home of Scotland.

In 2016, she moved to Glasgow to study Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and soon after, became involved in Scotland's vibrant traditional music scene. Since then, Isla has performed at internationally acclaimed festivals such as Celtic Connections, Celtic Colours, Orkney Folk Festival and HebCelt with her bands TRIP and HEISK, as well as other projects. TRIP have also garnered nominations for BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Musician of the Year and Scots Trad Award nominations for Album of the Year and Folk Band of the year.

Isla's solo project ‘Creeaght’ (meaning courage in Manx Gaelic), marked her debut as a composer. Creeaght, which was performed at Yn Chruinnaght Festival and Festival Interceltique de Lorient by an all-woman ensemble alongside an art exhibition, is a new suite of music that explores the lives and experiences of women who have shaped the history of the Isle of Man. Her latest project brings together the language and music of the Isle of Man and Donegal in a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Cathal Ó Curráin, who will be joining her at the Neil Gow Festival in the Saturday afternoon concert.

Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe

Fiddler and composer Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe grew up in Boston, Massachusetts where she was introduced to Scottish traditional music at a young age through the playing of Hanneke Cassel.

After several years of accomplished classical playing, including performances with Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble, she rediscovered her love of traditional music when studying abroad in Edinburgh. Within weeks, she was playing almost every night in some of Scotland’s best known music venues, including the infamous Royal Oak and Sandy Bell’s.

Elizabeth performs regularly around the world, having performed extensively across two continents, in countries including the USA, Canada, Costa Rica, Iceland, Estonia, Spain, and France. She released her debut album with Manx musician Daniel Quayle in 2022.

Abbie Nye

From the North East of Scotland, Abbie is an aspiring fiddle player now based in Glasgow where she studies Traditional music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She is a member of various ensembles including Fìobha Ceilidh Band, Ruckus Ceilidh Band and Alt Folk-Rock band, Lacuna which have allowed her to showcase her talent and passion for folk music in an array of performance opportunities.

Abbie has also performed internationally; with the Strathspey Fiddlers in Kronach, Germany in 2017 and 2023 and in Shanghai, China with Whisky Kiss 2023-2024.

Despite her passion for working with ensembles, Abbie is developing her own sound as a soloist, under the guidance of tutor Marie Fielding. As she embarks on the next chapter of her musical journey, Abbie is excited to share her love for Scottish Traditional Musicthrough a solo performance at this year's festival.