Woodfordia Inc
presents
Summer Tour 2024: Woodford Folk Festival to Illawarra Folk Festival
featuring Ryan Young (SCO) and Alana Wilkinson (AUS)
2022 MG ALBA Musician of The Year nominee Ryan Young brings new and exciting ideas to traditional Scottish music, receiving international praise for his spell-binding interpretations on the fiddle.
His highly anticipated second album Just A Second was released in October 2023. For this album, Young again enlisted the help of Boston-based and four-time Grammy-winning engineer and producer Jesse Lewis.
Focusing on traditional Scottish music, Ryan brings new life to very old, often forgotten tunes by playing them in his own unique way. His fiddle playing is brimming with fresh melodic ideas, an uplifting rhythmic drive and a great depth of dynamics and precision. Standing ovations are a regular event – with audiences overwhelmed by the emotional and adventurous journey which his performances take them on.
His style is unique, drawing influence from both Scottish and Irish traditions, particularly those of the Highlands and Islands and County Clare. Seasoned professionals cannot agree on the origins of his sound. Ryan sounds like Ryan Young.
Due to a lengthy battle with ill health, Ryan has had to delay this album several times. Where many might have called time, this journey only served to reinforce his love of playing and his love of music. Playing is his life and the fiddle is his voice. Now fully recovered, this period has actually served a positive purpose. It has made him think and feel music even more deeply, with every tune and every note thoughtfully and carefully played, always with sensitivity and straight from the heart. Just A Second sees Ryan playing every note as if it were his last.
Ryan works with a number of talented guitar accompanists. For this tour, he will be accompanied by Owen Sinclair, a multi-instrumentalist within the Glasgow trad scene, who has made his mark as an international performer and teacher. Owen performs regularly with Tannara, Westward the Light and Inyal, as well as being a staple tutor at the renowned Glasgow Fiddle Workshop.
Ryan holds both a first class honours and a Masters degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He was a finalist twice in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards and in the prestigious BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of The Year. He was awarded ‘Up And Coming Artist Of The Year’ at the Scots Trad Awards in 2017, nominated for the Horizon Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2018 and awarded Folking.com’s Musician Of The Year title.
“Every once in a while, a flashing musical comet appears and sweeps everything in its path. This is the case of the young Scottish violinist Ryan Young, virtuoso with precision and inventive playing…” – Festival No Border, Brest 2022
“Being a fiddler myself I have heard many, many up and coming fiddlers from Scotland, but I am blown away by this singular musician. Ryan, I feel, is a musician with a great gift. He has followed down a path that is his alone with the music. His playing is unique and soulful. I’ve heard him in concert and can only liken the experience to being lifted and taken on a journey. His playing is at once moving and thrilling, and he sweeps the audience along with him.” – Liz Carroll
‘…..leading the ‘New Wave’ of traditional Scottish fiddlers, virtuoso Ryan Young’ – BBC World on 3
Northern Rivers based folk-pop-punk-poet Alana Wilkinson continues to emerge as one of the most loved artists on the Australian scene.
Since 2018 Alana has turned heads with a string of triumphant (and much talked-about) major festival appearances (Woodford, Queenscliff, Blue Mountains, Nannup, Port Fairy) showcasing her wit, humour and insightful social commentary. Backed up by successively sold out headline shows and wonderfully received support spots for the likes of Tim Freedman, Fanny Lumsden, Clare Bowditch, the Pierce Brothers and Kav Temperley, Alana has enchanted diverse audiences across Australia.
Combining delicate melodies with disarmingly insightful vignettes about the human condition, Wilkinson is a smiling assassin. Her songs skewer ex-lovers, would-be suitors, ridiculous social norms and the absurd challenges of a suburban upbringing in a merciless, yet strangely affectionate way, leaving audiences feeling like they’re sitting in her living room, chatting about life over a steaming cuppa.
Equally at home in the intimate confines of a house concert or in the expansive surrounds of a festival Wilkinson engages audiences with revealing and hilarious stories and songs that seep into the consciousness.
Alana Wilkinson has guitar, will travel. She’s completed an extensive Porch Sessions tour with good friends Harrison Storm and Jack the Fox in 2019 and in early 2020 she set out on the Festival of Small Halls Autumn circuit with Scotland’s Paul McKenna Band which was due to visit twenty small regional communities across Australia as well as the Port Fairy Folk Festival and the National Folk Festival in Canberra until Covid hit, cutting it all short and putting the music world on pause.
But heck, all of that on the back of the release of just two singles! Alana’s debut offering Closer received extensive national airplay on ABC Radio and was joined in 2019 by Partner in Crime which also achieved triple j play. Alana achieved an unrealised life goal in 2019 when her songs found themselves on rotation for shoppers in retail outlets.
Hello Kmart!
In 2021 Alana welcomed her son Rafferty into the world, albeit very early with a 24 week arrival. With a 3 month stint in the NICU, a dramatic flood evacuation and a year of supplemental oxygen, Raffy has been a constant source of new song inspiration. ‘The Haemoglobin Song’, a groovy stank-face uke tune penned to help Raffy avoid his third blood transfusion and ‘With a Boob Out’ a laugh-out-loud song about new motherhood and accidentally flashing the postman, are the newest crowd favourites.
2023 saw Alana recording and co-producing her exquisite, highly anticipated debut LP with respected producer Paul Ruske.
Due in 2024, Alana’s recorded output will explode confetti-style with the release of her long awaited record which sees Alana expand her palate of musical colours and textures and delivers the dreamy and inspiring body of work she’s been promising for a couple of years now. (Thanks Covid!)
Alana Wilkinson in all her sunshiny glory, is always one to watch.
“She’s a National Treasure” – Fanny Lumsden
“One of those artists who can get on stage and capture the attention of an entire room” – Sarah Howells, Double J
“Infectious Positivity” – Tommy Faith, Triple J Unearthed
Yetman, 3 January 2024
Yetman Memorial Hall, NSW, Bigambul Country Yetman Memorial Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Bigambul People. Yetman sits on the Macintyre River just 30 kilometres south of the Queensland border. The first station was established way back in 1837, and the Yetman Memorial Hall wasn’t constructed until 1935. It has remained a cornerstone … Read more
Ashford, 4 January 2024
Ashford Memorial Hall, NSW, Ngarabal and Kamilaroi Country Ashford Memorial Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Ngarabal and Kamilaroi People. The hall commemorates those who died in service or were killed in action in World War One. It was officially opened on the 16th September 1938. Festival of Small Halls rolls into Ashford … Read more
Currabubula, 5 January 2024
Currabubula War Memorial Hall, NSW, Kamilaroi Country Currabubula War Memorial Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Kamilaroi People. Currabubula War Memorial Hall is 112 years young in 2024 and is the centre of the beautiful rural village, 30kms south of Tamworth. The hall has been host to many a good old fashioned bush … Read more
Orange, 7 January 2024
Bloomfield Hall, NSW, Wiradjuri Country Bloomfield Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri People. Situated in the leafy grounds of the Orange Health Service precinct, the Bloomfield Hall is an iconic venue with a long history of hosting performances in all areas of the arts in the Orange community. Do not be surprised … Read more
Woodstock, 10 January 2024
Woodstock Soldiers Memorial Hall, NSW, Wiradjuri Country Woodstock Soldiers Memorial Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri People. The Woodstock Soldiers Memorial Hall was built in 1924 to show their respect for, and in remembrance of the Army, Navy and Air Servicemen and women of the Woodstock community. The newly refurbished building is … Read more
Dalton, 11 January 2024
Dalton Public Hall, NSW, Ngunnawal Country Dalton Public Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Ngunnawal People. The Dalton Public Hall is newly refurbished and celebrates its centenary in 2023. It is central to community activities in the town and the great acoustics make it a great venue for plays and musical performances. Dalton … Read more
Goulburn, 12 January 2024
St Saviours Cathedral Hall, NSW, Gundungurra Country St Saviours Cathedral Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Gundungurra People. The renovated St Saviours Hall was opened by the Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe, which lends incredibly strong musical links to its current form, so it seems perfect that the Festival of Small Halls is returning … Read more
Galong, 13 January 2024
Galong Memorial Hall, NSW, Wiradjuri and Ngunawal Country Galong Memorial Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri and Ngunawal People. Galong Memorial Hall was built in 1922 in memory of those lost in WW1. It has hosted many dances over the years, even had its own local four piece band called the Grovenors. … Read more
Humula, 14 January 2024
Humula Memorial Hall , NSW, Wiradjuri Country Humula Memorial Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri People. The original Humula Hall was built in 1890 by the School of Arts. In 1955 this building was auctioned & demolished for the new brick hall to be built – that hall is used today. The … Read more
Pambula, 17 January 2024
Pambula Town Hall, NSW, Yuin Country Pambula Town Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Yuin People. The Pambula Town Hall on the New South Wales south coastline was built of timber and a steel roof in 1883. In 1923 a brick facade was added. Festival of Small Halls rolls into Pambula on Wednesday, … Read more
Pyree, 18 January 2024
Pyree Hall, NSW, Yuin Country Pyree Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Yuin People. Pyree Hall was built in 1895, and has been a major community centrepiece ever since. The hall has hosted many weddings, parties, farmers’ meetings – anything really. Cold Chisel used it to rehearse one of their albums, so a … Read more
Broke, 24 January 2024
Broke Community Hall, NSW, Wonnarua Country Broke Community Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Wonnarua People. If these walls could talk! The stories they could tell. There are tales of hard work, the toil of agriculture, the clop of the mighty horse long replaced by the whirr of machinery passing by. It has … Read more
Bobin, 25 January 2024
Bobin School of Arts Hall, NSW, Biripi Country Bobin School of Arts Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Biripi People. Bobin School of Arts Hall is a place for everyone in the surrounding community to gather in times of celebration and times of crisis. It is a special place to everyone in Bobin … Read more
Coramba, 26 January 2024
Coramba Community Hall, NSW, Gumbaynggirr Country Coramba Community Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Gumbaynggirr People. Coramba is a picturesque hinterland village 15 minutes from Coffs Harbour, on the banks of the Orara River. The historic Coramba Community Hall is over 100 years old. Built from beautiful local timbers with a lovingly restored … Read more
Whiporie, 27 January 2024
Whiporie Community Hall, NSW, Bundjalung Country Whiporie Community Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Bundjalung People. Festival of Small Halls heads to Whiporie on Saturday, 27 January 2024 with Ryan Young and Alana Wilkinson. There will be alcohol-free drinks on the night – BYO snacks. Tickets are priced at: Full Admission – $15Child … Read more
Wardell, 28 January 2024
Wardell Memorial Hall, NSW, Bundjalung Country Wardell Memorial Hall stands on the traditional lands of the Bundjalung People. Wardell is a small village in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales on the banks of the Richmond River. While the hall itself was flooded during the natural disaster of 2022, it has retained its charm … Read more
MEDIA RESOURCES
Woodfordia Inc presents Festival of Small Halls Summer Tour 2024: Woodford Folk Festival to Illawarra Folk Festival featuring Ryan Young (SCO) and Alana Wilkinson (AUS)
Festival of Small Halls has announced that Ryan Young and Alana Wilkinson will feature on their upcoming Summer Tour 2024: Woodford Folk Festival to Illawarra Folk Festival.
RYAN YOUNG (SCO)
Focusing on traditional Scottish music, Ryan brings new life to very old, often forgotten tunes by playing them in his own unique way. His fiddle playing is brimming with fresh melodic ideas, an uplifting rhythmic drive and a great depth of dynamics and precision. Standing ovations are a regular event – with audiences overwhelmed by the emotional and adventurous journey which his performances take them on.
His style is unique, drawing influence from both Scottish and Irish traditions, particularly those of the Highlands and Islands and County Clare. Seasoned professionals cannot agree on the origins of his sound. Ryan sounds like Ryan Young.
To download a high quality image, please click here.
ALANA WILKINSON (AUS)
Northern Rivers based folk-pop-punk-poet Alana Wilkinson continues to emerge as one of the most loved artists on the Australian scene. Combining delicate melodies with disarmingly insightful vignettes about the human condition, Wilkinson is a smiling assassin. Her songs skewer ex-lovers, would-be suitors, ridiculous social norms and the absurd challenges of a suburban upbringing in a merciless, yet strangely affectionate way, leaving audiences feeling like they’re sitting in her living room, chatting about life over a steaming cuppa. 2023 saw Alana recording and co-producing her exquisite, highly anticipated debut LP with respected producer Paul Ruske.
To download a high quality image, please click here.
Festival of Small Halls events take place in venues operating under current government Covid Safe regulations, and has stringent Workplace Health and Safety requirements for all travelling artists and crew. Under the terms and conditions of all events, you must not attend if you have any symptoms of Covid-19.
Please do your bit to protect others and keep your community safe.
