Michael Biggins and Jennifer Wrigley in Concert.

Michael Biggins is an award-winning musician from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. He studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, splitting his time between the classical and traditional music courses. In 2021 he became the first ever pianist to win the coveted BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year award. Organised by BBC Scotland, the competition has been increasing the profile of Scottish traditional music and recognising rising talent in the genre since 2001.

In addition to his spectacular solo performances, he is in great demand as a musical cohort having made appearances with Ross Couper, Amy Laurenson, Tom McConville, Troy MacGillivray to name a few…the list goes on! It is not his first visit to Orkney either as he has performed at Orkney Folk Festival with five-piece band TRIP. This however will be Michael’s first collaboration with one of Orkney’s own award-winning musicians.

In 1996 Jennifer Wrigley won the BBC’s coveted prize of the time for traditional music, the BBC Radio 2 ‘Folk on Two’ Young Tradition award and has gone on to become highly respected globally as one of the finest fiddle players to come out of Scotland. She toured internationally for many years with duo The Wrigley Sisters and now, as well as performing, influences and inspires the next generation of traditional musicians in her recent work as a tutor and Associate Artist at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Jennifer said “Michael is an outstandingly gifted musician and I've been following his career with keen interest since watching his ‘Young Trad’ performance on TV. I'm very much looking forward to this rare and special opportunity to perform alongside him.”

The performance, which is suitable for all ages, will begin at 7:30pm on Friday 1 August at Kirkwall’s King Street Halls, with doors to the hall open from 7pm. Tickets can be bought online and from the door, subject to availability.