Piping features heavily in nominations at the 2019 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards which will be held in Aberdeen next month.

Known as the Folk Oscars, the award ceremony has been held annually since 2005 to recognise excellence within Scotland’s thriving musical culture.

Approximately 100,000 public votes are received across 17 categories including: Pipe Band of the Year, Album of The Year, Live Act of the Year, Gaelic and Scots Singer of the Year, Composer of Year and Instrumentalist of the Year etc.

Voting opened last Monday.

The nominees are:

Scottish Pipe Band of the Year
Renfrewshire Schools Pipe Band
Inverary and District Pipe Band (the 2018 winners)
Closkelt Pipe Band
Dollar Academy

Brighde Chaimbeul.

Album of the Year
Beyond, by Talisk
Drawn From Deep Water, by Gnoss
Free One, by Kinnaris Quintet
Frenzy of the Meeting, by Breabach
Laws Of Motion, by Karine Polwart, Steven Polwart & Inge Thomson
Mercury, by Siobhan Miller
Neath the Gloaming Star, by Hannah Rarity
Steer By The Stars, by Skipinnish
The Reeling, by Brìghde Chaimbeul
What Makes You, by Elephant Sessions

Belhaven Bursary for Innovation
Breabach
Kinnaris Quintet
Lau
Niteworks
Ross Ainslie
Rura
Karine Polwart
Project Smok
Fara
Treacherous Orchestra

Iain Ruari Finlayson.

Music Tutor of the Year
Claire Gullan
Iain Ruari Finlayson, Skye Schools
Ingrid Henderson
Louise Hunter
Sharon Hassan

Folk Band of the Year
Blazin Fiddles
Callahan
Iona Fyfe Trio
Tannahill Weavers

Video of the Year
Fair Weather Beggar by Claire Hastings
Heroes – Tide Lines
Hope in the Chaos by Ross Ainslie and Malcolm Jones
Playlist East West by Shooglenifty featuring Tanxugueiras

Club of the Year
Largs Folk Nights
Sutherland Sessions
Button and Bows Accordion and Fiddle club
Montrose Folk Club

Composer of the Year
Catriona Hawksworth
Hayley Keenan
Jenna Reid
Mischa MacPherson

Community Project of the Year
Blazin’ in Beauly
Kin in the community
SEALL Festival of Small Halls.
Bogha Frois

Event of the Year
Scotland at Lorient – Fèis Rois
Tiree Music Festival
Alba Choir at Eurovision
Under Canvas in partnership with Eden Court

Gaelic Singer of the Year
Brian O’Headra
Ceitlin Lilidh
Kim Carnie
Mary Ann Kennedy

Musician of the Year
Adam Sutherland
Jenn Butterworth
Paul Anderson
Ross B. Wilson
Signy Jakobsdottir
Tom Oakes

Hecla (featuring Ailis Sutherland on pipes).

Live Act of the Year
Peat and Diesel
Rura
Talisk
Fara
The Outside Track

Scots Singer of the Year
Amy Papiransky
Dougie MacKenzie
Steve Byrne
Fiona Ross

Dance Band of the Year
The Cruickshank Family Band
Ewan Galloway Scottish Dance Band
Gary Sutherland Scottish Dance Band
Scott Band Scottish Dance Band

Up and Coming Artist of the Year
Calum Jones and the trad project
Dlù
Hecla
Man of the Minch

Venue of the Year
An Tobar (Mull)
Soundhouse at the Traverse (Edinburgh)
St Margaret’s Braemar
The String Cafe (Lerwick)

John Wilson is to be inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame at the ceremony which takes place on December 7 in Aberdeen Music Hall.