Congratulations are in order for Jim Sutherland who won the Composer of the Year Award at the 2014 MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards (Na Trads) in Inverness on Saturday. The award was for his work as Composer and Artistic Director for the epic production Children of the Smoke, part of the 2 year Struileag project, which included a live performance, CD, film, interactive diaspora website and book of poetry. It involved approximately 70 musicians, singers, dancers, artists and writers.
Children of the Smoke is a multimedia spectacular performance, with dance, music and film, about migration, displacement and home. It was one of the key events of the Commonwealth Games and the Homecoming events in 2014. The music deconstructs nostalgic perspectives on the notion of Gaelic identity through time, exploring relevant and gritty issues of exile and homelessness. The musical styles range through a wealth of influences including trad Scots, African percussion and rap.
With no geographical, social or stylistic boundaries, timeless tales of home, loss, hope, longing and adapting to new environments, connections between the old and new world are captured in the music of Children Of The Smoke in an extraordinary way.
“It is fantastic that Na Trads celebrate new music in this way. These awards are a huge shot in the arm to us all. I am delighted to receive the Composer of the Year Award after such a busy year. I’d like to thank everybody who worked with me and gave me so much support and inspiration on Struileag: Children of the Smoke (including Creative Scotland and Event Scotland)”
Jim Sutherland
The full ceremony, with an attendance of over 1000 people, can be seen here on BBC iplayer, with Jim’s award presentation at 22:10
Children of the Smoke photo by marc marnie