#WORLDPLAYASTRATHSPEYDAY
World Play A Strathspey Day returns for its third annual concert on Saturday 2 May 2026. This celebration of one of Scotland's most distinctive musical forms invites musicians from around the world to make a recording of themselves playing or singing a strathspey and upload it to social media with the hashtag #worldplayastrathspeyday. It's a brilliant day of music across social media!
This year's gig at Edinburgh Tradfest features some of Scotland’s most exciting tune players. They are: Madeleine Stewart, Laura Wilkie, Sam Mabbett and Angus Lyon. Audiences can expect a great range of strathspeys and other Scottish tunes showcasing the depth and variety of this beloved tradition.
Madeleine Stewart (fiddle)
Madeleine's music is rooted in the traditional music of New England. She moved to Glasgow from New Hampshire in 2014 to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she earned a BMus (Hons) in Traditional Music.
In 2023, she was a finalist in the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year competition, and her trio was nominated for Up and Coming Musician of the Year at the MG Alba Scottish Music Awards. She has played at festivals including Celtic Connections and Celtic Colours, and has toured in the UK, the US and Europe.
She currently plays with the Routes Quartet, folk-fusion band Eriska, fiddle-cello duo the Peanut Gallery, Swinging on Birches with Heather Cartwright and Juliette Lemoine and with Rory Matheson and Craig Baxter in the Madeleine Stewart Trio. Routes is a string quartet that plays traditional music and original compositions, while Eriska explores the wide range of influences and musical tendencies of each of its individual members. The Peanut Gallery is a blend of Scottish and American styles, and the trio is grounded in Madeleine's own tunes and compositions. Madeleine also teaches for The Folks' Music Project, a CIC providing community music workshops and events in the Glasgow area.
Laura Jane Wilkie (fiddle)
Laura Jane Wilkie is a fiddle player from Tain in the Highlands of Scotland. She has a unique style which has roots in Highland fiddle traditions but is influenced by an eclectic range of music from all genres.
Laura has toured internationally with various projects including Kinnaris Quintet, Ian Carr, Ross Ainslie, Niteworks, Claire Hastings, Beth Malcolm and Siobhan Miller. As a founding member of Fat-Suit, Laura has been inspired to play with elements of improvisation in different styles, making her a versatile influence on each project. Her collaborations include Shooglenifty, Man of the Minch, Rachel Sermanni, Elephant Sessions, Paul Towndrow's Keywork Orchestra, Fatherson, The GRIT Orchestra and many more. Her approach combines technical skill with creative exploration, bringing a distinctive voice to traditional music while pushing its boundaries through collaboration and experimentation.
Sam Mabbett (accordion)
Sam Mabbett is an accordionist from Oxford who has lived in Glasgow for seven years. He was a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award in 2023, where he served as an ambassador for the diatonic accordion.
Sam's musical journey began in English traditional folk music and dance through his parents' involvement in the scene. He spent summer holidays at folk festivals, teaching himself melodeon at age eight and playing for Morris dancing. He joined the National Youth Folklore Troupe of England at ten, gaining valuable performance experience, and his annual visits to Folkworks in Durham exposed him to the Northern English and Celtic styles that remain central to his passion. His influences include piano accordionists Sem Seabourne, Karen Tweed and Andrew Waite, as well as diatonic players like Dave Munnelly and Jos Kelly. A career highlight came when he played with The Canny Band at the BBC Na Trads. Sam is a member of Blazin' Fiddles and continues to tour, collaborate and compose music.
Angus Lyon (piano)
Angus Lyon is a musician, producer and composer based in Scotland. He is a member of Blazin' Fiddles and The Halton Quartet, and has recorded and performed alongside Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Paul McCartney, Bobby McFerrin, Craig Armstrong, Blue Rose Code, Eliza Carthy, Matt Costa and Bella Hardy.
Through his brilliant duo with fiddler Ruaridh Campbell, his work with the marvellously pigeonhole-resistant Halton Quartet, and his achievements as producer on myriad recordings, Angus is one of the traditional music scene's most creative talents. Currently recording and producing music from his studio, Gran's House, he reveals a skill for smartly turned melody, effortlessly blending banjo, vibraphone, fiddle and saxophone with a penchant for jazz fusion and a weakness for party soul-funk. His work demonstrates a rare ability to move seamlessly between traditional music and contemporary experimentation, creating soundscapes that are both innovative and deeply rooted in musical tradition.
In Traverse One
Tickets: £16.50/£13.50 each
Doors open: 2:45pm | Music starts: 3pm (one hour show)
Tickets may also be booked via phone. Call the box office team on 0131 228 1404