Katie Gregson MacLeod
“Music Plus gave me an opportunity to meet people who actually worked in the industry for the first time. Especially living somewhere relatively remote, I’d never been exposed to the music industry before”
Blair Davie
“Music Plus came at just the right time in my early career. I got to work with an amazing Scottish songwriter who gave me the skills to take my writing to the next level, skills that I still use today. It also helped give me the confidence to believe that a career as a songwriter could be possible for me. I’m forever grateful for my time with Music Plus”.
Kenna Ross
“I’m a session piano player for bands/piano tutor who started my journey in the music industry when I was introduced to Music Plus in 2014. I didn’t even feel confident enough to perform in front of my own mum before the project, but due to the incredible opportunities, mentorship and support Music Plus provides, I’ve been lucky enough to make it my career. This has involved travelling across the UK and even beyond playing piano, at festivals like Belladrum festival, Lollapoluza Paris and Montreux Jazz Festival.
I now get to be on the other side of Music Plus as a mentor for aspiring young musicians at the start of their own journeys”.
Toni McVey
“I got in touch with Music Plus as I knew I wanted to pursue a career in music, but I wasn’t sure how to do that. They we’re able to offer me so much guidance and even 1-1 lessons with some of the best trained teachers. This helped improve my drumming skills which enabled me to proceed onto studying music/drums at Edinburgh Napier University. Even since leaving Music Plus the team there have still gave me great advice which has helped me make career decisions going forward within the music industry. They are a team of approachable, kind, trust worthy people with so much experience to share. Couldn’t recommend Music Plus enough!”
Robin Ashcroft
“From open mics when I was 13, I was desperate to learn to write my own songs but didn’t know how to. I learned on Music plus and continued to try things at Music plus including piano lessons. I’ve never stopped gigging since and played so many amazing venues and festival up and down the UK. Music plus mentorship really helped me in those early days giving me the tools I needed for forward in the industry”.
Louis Page
“I have been through the MusicPlus mentoring program, and I have to say, it was one of the most beneficial and exciting experiences of my musical career so far. It gave me loads of opportunities to meet and connect with industry professionals, who’s input to my own musical journey has been invaluable. Not only did I form relationships with professional musicians, producers and promoters, I was also given many opportunities to play live at gigs and festivals, which allowed me to mature further as an artist.
Since leaving MusicPlus I have been involved in a number of projects, but most recently with my new band The Exhales. I have to give a massive thanks to Keith and the rest of the team at MusicPlus for making this opportunity available, and allowing me to progress further with the thing I enjoy most”.
Zoë Bestel
“My first interaction with MusicPlus+ was through a songwriting session with Robert Shields of ONR over 10 years ago, which was not only confidence boosting but led to industry connections I still have and work with today. I felt affirmed in my vocation in being a musician, and learning how I could organise this for myself in the future and how that could be a viable option was invaluable. Never mind anything else that comes after it, simply having these opportunities to experience what it’s like to be in an industry before fully delving into it, was incredibly helpful and I’m so grateful for being able to take part when I did”.
Jack Mills
“Music Plus was extremely helpful at a transitional moment in my youth. I grew up recording my own tunes in a small village and became interested in pursuing a career in sound engineering. The music industry felt very distant and I wasn’t sure how to begin gaining experience.
Through Music Plus I got to sit in on a session in a studio for the first time which was eye-opening and helped open doors to further opportunities. It was rewarding to meet other young people with similar interests, and extremely inspiring to meet with the mentors who so generously shared their knowledge and creative insights. I now work as a sound engineer, recording and editing film scores, and would not be in this position without the support of the Music Plus program.”
Cortnë
“I’m not sure where to start with MusicPlus. I was 15 when I signed up to the project and very nervous and anxious. I loved writing songs but I hated standing out or speaking in front of a crowd so it actually took quite a lot for me to even sign up. I still remember how nervous I was going to my first session. I was assigned a really inspiring mentor who taught me more about songwriting and encouraged me to go into further education to study music. I ended up going to Glasgow Kelvin College where I met some of my closest friends and then to UWS where I studied commercial music.
Fast forward ten years later from when I first applied to the project and I’m just about the release my debut EP, I make my living through music and I've ended up working as a project assistant for MusicPlus. If I had never signed up to the project I would never have thought this would have been possible. I'm so grateful to have taken part”.
Rosie Sullivan
“Music Plus helped me massively from when I began singing and songwriting. I received numerous opportunities to perform, record and through this played at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival. I also was able to receive some mentoring for my songwriting.
This was a great opportunity and I highly encourage any young people thinking of working with MusicPlus to go for it. They are so encouraging and it is great to have so much support for your music when you are still young"
Nicky Murray
"Music Plus provided me with the support and security of being able to spend a lot more time with individual students in the one to one setting. It connected me with some of the Highlands great young musicians and to it's own nurturing community".
Riley
"Music Plus was perhaps the most pivotal project I had been part of that really made a true impact on my career for the better. From singing lessons to tours, I was able to experience my dream of being a recording and touring artist through Music Plus and Hit The Road from such a young age. I have the best memories of touring with them and the friends I made on that tour, I'll have for life. Years on and I still mention Music Plus mentoring to any young, aspiring artists and bands I speak to.
I was lucky enough to play festivals like Belladrum through Music Plus and their ongoing support in my career is something I'm forever grateful for. I hope many musicians on their way up are lucky enough to experience what Music Plus has to offer. They're the best at what they do and I would urge anyone who dreams of having a career in music to get in touch"
Sam Cowan
"I entered MusicPlus during the Covid-19 Lockdown, and was unsure what next steps I had to take to progress my career in music. MusicPlus enabled me to work with one of the best Drummers and Producers in Scotland. She helped me with so much in regards to my playing, being in the studio and my overall confidence in my abilities. Since working with MusicPlus I have had the chance to play with some incredible musicians in the studio and on tour in some of the most amazing venues and festivals across the UK."
Daria Jaszcz
"I'm deeply grateful to MusicPlus for being there during a crucial time in my youth. At 17, I was passionate about an industry I barely understood. Without the support and guidance I received from them, I honestly don't think I'd be where I am today. Their insights were vital in shaping my music career, especially since traditional education didn't provide the specialised knowledge I needed for my journey."
Hector Shaw
“Music Plus was a huge help to me starting out in music. They gave me a great mentor where I learned lots about songwriting and guitar playing. It also opened live opportunities up to me like playing my first festival slot at Belladrum’s Tartan Heart. I’d recommend them to any young Scottish musician who’s looking to get a foot in the door of the industry”.
Calum MacKenzie Jones
“Music Plus helped me set up my very first EPK and showed me how to start sending my music off to festivals, venues, funding applications etc. and how to effectively present my self as an artist. Which is golden info, especially for a struggling new artist that has no idea what they’re doing when it comes to the music industry. I learned about songwriting, alternate tunings, recording processes and collaborating with other musicians”.
Deni Smith
“MusicPlus+ has had a huge impact on my life, and ultimately has led me to finding my career. I participated in the project as a young person when I was 16 and living in Dunfermline. The project provided me with recording time, which allowed me to release my first EP. 10 years on, I listen back to those songs and hear my sad teenage woes, and it reminds me that I have always used songwriting as a means of self-expression and healing. MusicPlus+ helped me to gain the confidence I needed to keep going.
On the other side of the coin, the project has continued to support me as I began working as a Music Mentor throughout my university years, and still continue on occasion today. Working on MusicPlus+ has been one of the most impactful things to have happened to me as it led me to other opportunities, which have now culminated in my job as Development Worker for Arts, Culture and Sport for Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.
I can't thank the project, the funders and the team enough for the excellent service they provide to young people in the early stages of their musical journey. Do not hesitate to apply”.
Aimee Higgins
“Music Plus offered me the opportunity to experience a few sessions in a live events venue in Glasgow, where I was mentored by one of their house engineers. Following on from these mentoring sessions, I was stayed in contact with the engineer and was able to continue to go into the venue to help out with gigs, this in turn helped me secure a position as one of the venues house engineers.
It’s safe to say Music Plus opened the door for me and helped me get started in the industry and 10 years on from being on the programme I am mixing a range of different gigs and live events in the city and beyond on a regular basis.”.
The Lutras
“Music plus gave us one of our first major festival appearances & invited us back the following year too. A real pleasure to work with & a good place to start for upcoming artists”.
Leif Coffield
“Music Plus is such an invaluable resource for up and coming artists in Scotland and I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of it. The mentoring programme was particularly useful as it connected me with people in the industry I wouldn’t otherwise have had access to at that stage in my career. These mentors - David Forbes and Harvey Mckay - both legends in their field, went on to become collaborations and friendships. Name me something better than working with the people you look up to other than Nutella. Exactly.
Additionally, the Music Plus team went out their way to provide assistance and advice whenever I needed it, so particular thanks to Keith and Sace for their time and expertise to a young whipper snapper just getting started in the business”.
Dionne Hossack
After applying to music plus, I was successful and had 6 hours free tuition from Grant Hutchison, the drummer from the Scottish Band Frightened Rabbit and now The Twilight Sad. Within the hour long lessons, I developed a lot of skills such as learning to read music (more focused on drum music and different beats and styles), as well and learning songs I enjoyed to make it fun and enjoyable for me.
Since Music Plus, I was able to join a band with my two bandmates and have been together since 2019! If it was not for music plus I would have not have had all the wonderful opportunities which we have experienced as a band such as releasing singles, our EP and playing many of Glasgow and Edinburghs most iconic venues such as King Tuts, Bannermans Bar, 13th Note, Sneaky Petes to name a few!