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.
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.
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.
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 Music through a solo performance at this year's festival.
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.
Cathal Ó Curráin is a multi-instrumentalist from Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal, who specialises in Irish Traditional and Folk Music on fiddle, banjo, bouzouki and song. From an early age Cathal was immersed in music from attending regular sessions in Teach Hiúdaí Beag with the likes of Mairéad and Ciarán Ó Maonaigh. Hailing from a family that are best known for their singing Cathal learned his songs from his aunties Caitlín and Bríd Joe Jack.
Suzanne and Jeri launch their duo at the Niel Gow Festival 2025.
Suzanne Fivey is a multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Glasgow. Her roots are in Scottish traditional music and she is in most familiar territory at a piano alongside any fiddle player who is in the mood to keep up! She is currently channeling her skills in harmony and accompaniment into writing projects for theatre and screen.
Jeri Foreman is a fiddle player and tune writer from Australia, living in Scotland and working as a traditional musician. She has studied several fiddle styles in depth and holds a degree in classical violin. Genres of specialty include Scottish, Irish, Bluegrass, Old Time and Australian Celtic fiddle, with areas of interest in Old Time accompaniment, Americana, Scandinavian, Quebecois and Asturian music. Her own projects currently include The Fountaineers (bluegrass band), Swamp Chicken (old time string band), The Household Names (modern trad band), Nice Like That (vintage bluegrass/country duo), Jeri Foreman & Ruth Eliza (old time duo), The Crossbow Trio (multi genre fiddle music) and Point Five Ceilidh Band (Scottish trad). Jeri also performs as a session musician with acts as diverse as traditional Scots singers, Americana bands, prog rock singers, jazz guitarists, country singers and many ceilidh bands. She has also won a whole bunch of awards.
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.Bruce will be joined by Ali Duncan.
We are delighted to welcome Elizabeth & Daniel back to the Niel Gow Festival after their debut here in 2023 really impressed audiences.
Combining the rich traditions of the Isle of Man with the varied sounds of synth pop and Eurofolk, Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe & Daniel Quayle have forged a sound that is both dramatic and compelling.
Since the release of their debut album, The Coast Road, in 2022, the duo has been invigorating audiences, bringing their distinctive sound to festivals across Europe and picking up new influences along the way.Whether they’re burning through reels, or setting the scene for a meditative air, audiences are enraptured by their fresh new take on a musical tradition like no other.
Elizabeth has also written a tune, ‘The Birnam Oak’, for the Niel Gow Festival Tunebook, the tune has also featured in some of the festival’s promotion videos.
“Dunkeld Strath & Reel"has been an important part of Dunkeld's lively traditional music scene for the past 90 years, has been closely associated with the Niel Gow Festival and, under its music director Pete Clark, is delighted to bring you a programme of great music from the 20th to the 21st centuries, much of it composed locally.
For more than a decade, Hannah Fisher and Sorren Maclean have been prominent members of the Scottish indie/folk scene, both as individual artists and band members. Their best known collaborative work sees them as permanent features touring, writing and recording with Scotland’s most influential bands and artists including Idlewild, King Creosote, Capercaillie, Mike McGoldrick, Karen Matheson, Duncan Chisholm and Dougie Maclean.
Michael is a multi-instrumentalist originally from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne but now residing in Glasgow. He currently plays and tours with TRIP, The Canny Band, Tom McConville, Northern Company and Irish Celtic – Spirit of Ireland Dance Show.
In January, Michael became BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year for 2021.
Michael recently graduated from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow under the tutelage of Professor Sinae Lee on piano. Prior to this, he studied at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester where he studied with Graham Caskie. Michael also studied with respected pianists Eileen Bown and Jean Armstrong who are based in NewcastleAs well as performing, Michael also teaches piano, piano accordion and music theory and has done for several years. His pupils boast a 100% pass rate so far in their exams.
Michael will be joined by fiddle player Macaulay Ross.
Tayside Young Fiddlers youth music group joins us again for the 2025 festival. This dynamic young group has an interest in playing music by composers from more recent times. The late, great piper and tunesmith Gordon Duncan, his outstanding disciple Ross Ainslie, award winning fiddler-composer Adam Sutherland and California-based Scot Alasdair Fraser have all contributed to the Tayside Young Fiddlers repertoire.
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