HIS playing has been described as “soulful, beautiful, intoxicating”, but on the eve of his debut album launch award-winning Scottish fiddler, Ryan Young, is not about to let the praise go to his head.

Winner of MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2016 Up and Coming Artist of the Year award, the traditional fiddler is preparing to launch his self-titled debut album on August 11.

Before then, the 26-year-old has the small matter of his Radio 3 debut, performing a 30-minute set during World on 3. The nation will be afforded the opportunity to sample the new release’s unique blend of traditional Scottish tunes with Young’s own distinct style on Friday, August 4.

“Expressed through the very old tunes which I hold very dearly”, the new album is “like any album, just a collection of my thoughts and feelings”, Young told The National.

Proud of his cultural heritage, the new release has a distinctly Scottish feel. “It focuses, with the exception of four of my own compositions, purely on traditional Scottish music”, Young explained.

“Irish traditional music is fantastic and very, very popular – especially in Glasgow – but I wanted to show that Scottish music is just as good, if not better, in my opinion.”

The new album has been produced and recorded by triple Grammy-winning Boston-based producer Jesse Lewis. The industry heavyweight has been taken aback by the Scot’s talent.

“Ryan’s fiddling is so soulful, beautiful and intoxicating, and his musical pacing is way beyond his years”, he beamed.

Despite the plaudits, the self-deprecating protege expressed his “shock” upon receiving the Trad Music award. “I even felt a bit guilty about it as I don’t feel it’s really me that deserves the praise”, he explained.

“A lot of what I play is very old traditional Scottish tunes – purely because I like them – and I feel like the tunes are the real stars, I just help give them a voice and I like that they can articulate some things better than I could say them,” Young added.

The fiddler, who does not come from a musical background, admits he was not even certain “what a violin was” when he started playing instruments in school. Fortunately, inspiration was beamed into his living room.

“It wasn’t until I heard fiddler Aly Bain playing on the BBC Hogmanay show that I really wanted to play. There was something about the way he seemed to make the fiddle sound like a voice, as though it was speaking for him. I was a very quiet child and I loved the idea that something could speak for you.” The inspiration, combined with an astounding level of natural talent, helped launch the career of one of Scotland’s most exciting young artists.

Before long Young had graduated with a Master of Music degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and was a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician competition in 2015 and 2016.

Since then, he has firmly cemented his place as part of the “new wave” in Scottish traditional music, which Young believes is indicative of the vibrancy of traditional music today.

There are so many young people playing Scottish music these days, with sessions happening almost every day of the week.

“The passion there is towards the music. At the end of the day, it is all about the music and Scottish traditional music is fantastic!”