Bearsden pianist reaches prestigious BBC musician of year final

BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2022 at Pacific Quay.

Pictured
Sophie Joint

Photograph by Martin Shields
Tel 07572 457000
www.martinshields.com
© Martin Shields — BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2022 at Pacific Quay. Pictured Sophie Joint Photograph by Martin Shields Tel 07572 457000 www.martinshields.com © Martin Shields

Sophie Joint (21), a former pupil of the Douglas Academy Music School in Milngavie, fought off stiff competition from all over the country during the semi-final.

It took place at the BBC studios in Pacific Quay and was broadast for the first time simultaneously on Radio Scotland and BBC Alba.

Sophie, who also attended Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow's West End, is a final year student on the traditional music course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

She has previously won a Celtic Connections Danny Kyle award, in a competition designed to highlight promising new talent in Scottish music.

Sophie has played at a number of major festivals including the Lorient Festival Interceltique in France and the Celtic Colours festival in Canada.

She is looking forward to performing at the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year final showcase in the City Halls in Glasgow in February, along with the other five successful competitors.

An arranger and composer as well as a performer, Sophie plays with the band Harbour Road.

As well as the band, she is part of a duo with Glasgow fiddler Breanna Wilson, who will also be playing in the BBC final.

Although her music sometimes takes her far afield these days, Sophie remains close to her local roots, recently finding inspiration for a piano composition from the history of Mugdock Country Park.

Sophie said: "I was fascinated by the story of how there used to be a zoo at the park with an elephant who used to get into all sorts of bother, once following his keeper down the road to Milngavie.

"I wrote a tune about it called 'Big Charlie' after the elephant's name and was really pleased to perform it during the BBC semi-final.

"I am so thrilled to have made it to the finals and I'm excited to be playing with these incredibly talented musicians."

The final of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year competition will take place at the City Halls in Glasgow on Sunday 6th February 2022 as part of Celtic Connections Festival.