Maryburgh musician hits the right notes for award nod
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A YOUNG Maryburgh musician – who has played alongside Kylie Minogue – is a finalist for the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician.
Piper and whistle-player Alexander Levack – or Ali – is one of six who will play at Glasgow City Halls on Sunday, January 28 when judges will name a winner.
Alexander, son of Alec and Mairi Levack of Breach An Ord in Maryburgh, became hooked on the pipes as a youngster after hearing his grandfather, architect Donald Mackillop, play.
In 2014, it was after being invited to attend a recording session and to play live in Glasgow that Alexander discovered he was going to be appearing at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony at Hampden.
He said: "I was on last with Dougie Maclean’s band and at the rehearsal, Kylie came to sing Caledonia with us."
For the event, Kylie wore a special dress made by French designer Jean Paul Gautier. Alexander said: "I was standing next to her during the rehearsal and when we were going offstage, I asked if I could have a picture with her.
"She said ‘Sure, but later with the dress’. But after the real performance I bottled it," said Alexander. "So I never got my picture!"
As a youngster he had enjoyed visiting his grandfather in Strathpeffer and watching the pipe band that played in the square in summer. "The pipes had a kind of fascination for me," he said.
At nine he started having chanter lessons set up for him with family friend Benny Manson from Bettyhill and went on to be taught by the late John D Burgess of Saltburn, Invergordon, and later Iain MacFadyen in Kyle.
At 15, he began his studies at the National Centre of Excellence for Traditional Music in Plockton, where he also started learning the whistle, spending the next four years working with some of the country’s best tutors while gaining accolades in various competitions
And he would also love to pull off a long-held hope. "I want to get my solo album recorded this year !"
The Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician winner’s prize is "high profile performance opportunities and the necessary tools and advice they require to launch a career in traditional music". All six finalists will also tour together later this year.
The competition is organised and run by Hands Up For Trad for BBC Radio Scotland. The finals are broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland on Sunday, January 28 from 5.05pm.
