The Martyn Bennett Prize: Queens Hall 2013

The Martyn Bennett Prize: Queens Hall 2014

TUESDAY 14th OCTOBER 2014

Produced by The Queen’s Hall and the Traditional Music Forum, the Martyn Bennett Prize is a compositional prize for new work that takes its inspiration from Scottish traditional music. Named in honour of the acclaimed composer/multi instrumentalist Martyn Bennett, and supported by funding from Creative Scotland, applications are open to all composers and musicians aged 16+ based in Scotland whose work and practice evidences the influence of Scottish traditional music.

The Martyn Bennett Prize was open to all Scottish-based musicians to create a new five – ten minute long composition that showed its roots in traditional music. The winner received £2000 and the runner up received £1000. All the finalists’ work was performed at The Queen's Hall on Tuesday 14th October.

The 2014 finalists were Christopher Bradley (Edinburgh), James Lindsay (Glasgow), Stuart Macpherson (Dumfries), Aidan O’Rourke (Edinburgh) and Rob Taylor (Edinburgh). 


The 2014 Martyn Bennett Prize was won by James Lindsay for his composition “Hebrides Terrace Seamount”. The runner up was Rob Taylor for his composition “Three Tunes from Outer Space”.

For full information on the Martyn Bennett Prize Concert, please download the programme as a PDF.

The Martyn Bennett Prize would like to thank the following people for their invaluable support, help and advice:

Everyone who took the time and effort to submit their compositions to the Prize, Adrian Harris and all of The Queen’s Hall team, David Francis and the Traditional Music Forum, Creative Scotland, The Martyn Bennett Trust, Jim Sutherland, Hector MacInnes, Sally Beamish, Seonaid Aitken, Fraser Fifield, Colin Train, Graeme Stephen, Andrew Sharkey, Laura Baxter, Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson, Mikolaj Miskiewicz, Craig Mackie, Nathan Allison, Moray Munro, Inner Ear, Karen Akester, Pace Print.

James Lindsay - Hebrides Terrace Seamount

The winner of the 2014 Martyn Bennett Prize for traditional music composition, "Hebrides Terrace Seamount" by James Lindsay, performed live at the Finalists Concert on Tuesday 14 October 2014 at The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh. The Queen's Hall and the Traditional Music Forum, with support from Creative Scotland, present The Martyn Bennett Prize for traditional music composition which seeks to raise the profile and reward the vital role that composition plays in Scotland's traditional music.

Rob Taylor - Three Tunes From Outer Space

The runner up of the 2014 Martyn Bennett Prize for traditional music composition, "Three Tunes From outer Space" by Rob Taylor, performed live at the Finalists Concert on Tuesday 14 October 2014 at The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh. The Queen's Hall and the Traditional Music Forum, with support from Creative Scotland, present The Martyn Bennett Prize for traditional music composition which seeks to raise the profile and reward the vital role that composition plays in Scotland's traditional music.

Stuart MacPherson - Cutting It Fine

Stuart MacPherson's "Cutting It Fine" performed live at the Finalists Concert on Tuesday 14 October 2014 at The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh. The Queen's Hall and the Traditional Music Forum, with support from Creative Scotland, present The Martyn Bennett Prize for traditional music composition which seeks to raise the profile and reward the vital role that composition plays in Scotland's traditional music.

Aidan O'Rourke - Cape Reinga

Aidan O'Rourke's "Cape Reinga" performed live at the Finalists Concert on Tuesday 14 October 2014 at The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh. The Queen's Hall and the Traditional Music Forum, with support from Creative Scotland, present The Martyn Bennett Prize for traditional music composition which seeks to raise the profile and reward the vital role that composition plays in Scotland's traditional music.

Christopher Bradley - Missed Your Mischief

Christopher Bradley's "Missed Your Mischief" performed live at the Finalists Concert on Tuesday 14 October 2014 at The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh. The Queen's Hall and the Traditional Music Forum, with support from Creative Scotland, present The Martyn Bennett Prize for traditional music composition which seeks to raise the profile and reward the vital role that composition plays in Scotland's traditional music.

Hector MacInnesChris Bradley

Notes from the 2013 Prize Winners

Hector MacInnes and Christopher Bradley talk about their musical journey, influences and what inspired them to create their compositions for the 2013 Martyn Bennett Prize. Click here to read...