Sponsorship & Award Feedback
The following feedback was received from those who received a sponsorship award from the Trust. If you’re interested in sponsorship, please find out how to get funded. Our sub-group carefully considers all submissions.
Trail West – Live Act of the Year
In 2023 the GDMT sponsored the “Live Act of the Year” at the 21st MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, and the worthy winners were Trail West. Trail West started as a four piece ceilidh band about ten years ago and have grown to become a formidable live band.
Isle of Arran Music School
The Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust has been a huge part of the Arran Music School journey so far. Not only have there support financially been a huge benefit to the charity but so has the their advice. Their help was great for our first ever pipe band concert which we have organised this year where we received help from the Trust to run the concert.
Gordon Duncan has been a huge influence to the music school himself with a lot of our inspiration of tunes we play and set we pick are based off him and his legacy.
We thank everyone at the trust for their continued support at the music school.
Hands Up for Trad 2023
A thank you for sponsorship of the Scots Trad Music Awards 2023.
Niel Gow, Nathaniel Gow & Simon Fraser of Knockie original books restoration.
Many thanks to you all for helping to restore, preserve and bind these original music collections from the Regency era – two collections of Niel and Nathaniel Gow books, and a Simon Fraser of Knockie Collection. All were in a sorry state, crumbling and impossible to use without risk of further damage.
We started with a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the project, and the GDMT kindly helped with the remaining costs. Each page was individually cleaned and repaired, before being bound into three volumes.
These books are a significant part of our Scottish cultural heritage, and the grant from GDMT enabled us to save them for future generations. If you would like to view the books, feature them in your event, or just find out more, please visit
or contact Lovaig.Music@gmail.com.
Big thanks again and best wishes to you all,
Katherine Liley
Dunkeld & Birnam Traditional Youth Music Group
DB Trad Group is a new youth music group formed in spring 2023. We run classes in fiddle and accordion as well as two trad bands with an age range of P5 – S6 in Dunkeld and Birnam and surrounding rural areas. Our vision was to be able to provide the opportunity for young traditional players in the area to get together and play in groups, and to encourage and continue our local musical heritage, and for this to be completely accessible to all by keeping it free for our members. The funding we received from The Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust has made all the difference in helping us to provide this for our young community. Musically, our members have developed skills in playing in groups, learned lots of new tunes and taken part in working out arrangements, all of which have been taken to the stage. New friendships have been formed and all the fun and enjoyment of playing music has been discovered.