Championing
Scotland's Music.
The Scottish Music Centre staff and board are greatly saddened to hear of the death of John Wallace CBE.
Hailing from Fife, John became a world class trumpet soloist before taking up the position of Principal at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and was Chair of the Scottish Music Centre board between 2002 and 2009.
On retirement from RCS, John continued to work for the benefit of young musicians across Scotland, leading the Music Education Partnership Group (MEPG) with vision and determination, bringing about transformative change for music education in Scotland, including lobbying for and achieving Scottish Government funding for free instrumental tuition across the country.
We send our condolences to John’s family and many, many friends.
SMC Executive Director Gill Maxwell said:
“It’s been a privilege to have met and worked alongside John, in his role as Chair, since joining SMC in 2005. His total passion for music and the advancement of music education- particularly the development of young musicians- was inspirational, as was his support of the Centre’s ambition to expand its services not just to its members but also to the public, and to introduce international development projects for the benefit of Scotland’s composers. In the role of Chair, he was a source of constant support, encouragement, wisdom and diplomacy and I’ll remember him with great fondness.”
Richard Greer, SMC Company Secretary, studied composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland during John’s tenure:
“How lucky we were to have someone like John Wallace.
A tireless advocate for music education and young musicians, an inspiring musician and composer, a true leader and a role model in how to live in service to music and its community.
I will forever be grateful for his encouragement, his support and his friendship.
John will be sorely missed.”
Photograph by KK Dundas
SMC Membership Officer Chris Duncan, aka C Duncan, a Mercury nominated composer who also studied at RCS, said:
“John Wallace’s passing leaves a huge silence in the halls of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and in the hearts of all who studied there. As Principal and an extraordinary trumpeter, he led RCS with warmth, vision, and unwavering generosity. During my years studying composition, he was a steadfast champion of the department, celebrating new voices and ensuring composers felt seen, heard, and valued. His influence reached far beyond any one discipline. He inspired performers, creators, and educators alike with his energy, optimism, and belief in what music can be. He will be sorely missed by every musician he helped shape.”
SMC Board member Mae Murray MBE and Secretariat of the MEPG said:
“As well as his performing career John made a monumental contribution to music education, his passion and drive have inspired many people, and his legacy will live on in through everyone who knew him.”
Classical:Next 2026 Bursary Delegation Announced
We are delighted to announce the five composers awarded bursaries to represent Scotland as delegates at Classical:Next 2026 in Budapest, Hungary.
Congratulations: Tim Cooper, Lewis Coenen-Rowe, Claire McCue, Amble Skuse and Marco Sollazzo.
SMIA Publishes Open Letter to BBC Radio Scotland on Late-Night Music Programme Cuts
Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) has published an open letter to BBC Radio Scotland following the decision to cut four longstanding late-night music programmes that have played a vital role in Scottish music discovery, development and cultural representation.
Written by SMIA’s CEO and Creative Director Robert Kilpatrick, the letter raises serious concerns about the impact on Scotland’s music ecosystem, emphasising the importance of protecting platforms that provide national exposure for both emerging and established Scottish artists and safeguard Scottish music and culture.
The letter calls on BBC Radio Scotland to take three key actions:
Pause implementation of the changes and undertake meaningful consultation with artists, industry organisations and audiences.
Set out a clear strategy for meeting its public service obligation to represent the full breadth of Scottish music, including emerging, independent and genre-diverse artists.
Commit to maintaining a dedicated national space for Scottish music discovery and development within its schedule.
Those wishing to add their voice can do so here
Read the full open letter here
Northern Connection at soundfestival Aberdeen 2025
Stephanie Lamprea (Soprano) and Alistair MacDonald (Electronics) perform at soundfestival Aberdeen 2025
Featuring a piece for voice and electronics by Alistair Macdonald, as well as the World Premiere of Finnish composer Asta Hyvärinen’s She, Miracle, a performative work for female voice and electronics commissioned as part of the Northern Connection partnership.
Scottish Music Centre are founding members of Northern Connection, which aims to sustainably connect Nordic countries and Scotland by establishing and strengthening liaisons between composers, ensembles and festivals of contemporary music in Finland, Norway, Scotland, Denmark and Iceland.
(Left to right: Asta Hyvärinen, Stephanie Lamprea & Alistair MacDonald. Photo: Chris Duncan)
Richard Greer appointed to IAMIC board
We are pleased to announce that SMC board member Richard Greer has been elected as a new board member of IAMIC (International Association of Music Centres) as company secretary. The election took place during IAMIC’s annual conference, held in Belgrade (Serbia) from 23rd-26th of September 2025.
ISCM World New Music Days 2026 Scottish Section Shortlist Announcement
We are delighted to announce that following a meeting of the ISCM Scottish Section selection panel last week, 6 works have been chosen to be submitted to the ISCM International Jury, and it is guaranteed that at least one of the six works submitted by ISCM Scottish Section will be included in the World Music Days Festival in Romania 2026.
The shortlisted composers are:
Chris Hutchings, Claire McCue, Louise Harris, Oliver Iredale Searle, Rūta Vitauskaitė and Silver Chamber
Find out more here
Launching Resound: Scotland’s Inclusive Music Collection
Sonic Bothy and the Scottish Music Centre (SMC) are developing a new digital archive collection to celebrate and document the works of Scotland-based contemporary Disabled music artists. Running from 2025 to 2028, the project will amplify the cultural contributions of Disabled artists, and embed inclusive practice within the Scottish music sector and beyond.
This project addresses the underrepresentation of Disabled artists within public collections and seeks to build a lasting legacy of visibility, advocacy and equity through a publicly available archive.
Video showcase compiled & edited by Inner Ear
Scottish Music Centre at CLASSICAL NEXT 2025
Music industry delegates from across the globe gathered in Berlin for Classical:NEXT, the world’s largest international event for classical music professionals. Among them, the Scotland delegation set out to redefine what classical music means in the 21st century- offering a fresh, diverse and future-facing perspective on the global stage.
Scotland was represented at the prestigious showcase and conference alongside around 1,400 professionals from 49 countries. At the heart of this year’s presence was a delegation that reflects the full breadth of Scotland’s musical talent: emerging and established composers, boundary-pushing sound artists, seasoned programmers and inclusive community leaders.
Gill Maxwell, Executive Director of Scottish Music Centre said:
“Classical:NEXT stands as a key global platform for Scotland’s thriving contemporary classical music scene. It brings together a broad spectrum of talent- from boundary-pushing composers and experimental artists, to the curators and festival programmers shaping our cultural calendar year-round. It’s also a hub for forging new international collaborations and partnerships. My team and I are excited to lead the Scotland delegation in Berlin, championing the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that define our dynamic music sector today.”
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