Ryan Young
Fiddle
We are really excited to welcome Ryan Young back to Music Camp this year! Ryan is an award-winning Scottish fiddle player celebrated for bringing striking emotional depth and contemporary energy to traditional music. Renowned for a style that is both deeply expressive and technically assured, he has become one of Scotland’s most compelling voices on the international folk stage.
Often described as “poetry without words,” Ryan revives old and sometimes forgotten Scottish melodies, breathing new life into them with inventive phrasing, rhythmic intensity, and fearless musical exploration. His performances are immersive and powerful, drawing audiences into a sound world that feels at once ancient and entirely new.
His debut album, produced by four-time GRAMMY winner Jesse Lewis (Béla Fleck, Yo-Yo Ma), launched his international profile and was unveiled at Ireland’s Feakle Traditional Music Festival alongside the late guitarist Dennis Cahill. His second album, Just a Second (2023), was acclaimed across the UK, North America, and Europe, with Tradfolk describing his technique as “jaw-dropping… frantic, dizzying, triumphant.” With over a million streams online, Ryan is now recognized as one of Scotland’s most exciting traditional musicians.
Accolades include Up and Coming Artist of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards, a BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Horizon Award nomination, and Musician of the Year at Folking.com. He has toured extensively across the UK, Europe, North America, and Australia and performed at international showcases including WOMEX.
In May 2026, Ryan will release his third studio album, produced by legendary Irish fiddler Martin Hayes. The project also features Stuart MacCallum (The Breath, Cinematic Orchestra) and Louis Campbell (Sam Lee, Sam Sweeney), promising a fresh, deeply expressive reimagining of Scottish traditions and a bold new chapter in Ryan’s career.
We can’t wait for everyone to meet Ryan and experience his many gifts in person!
For more information, visit http://www.ryanyoung.scot/index.html