Percussionist & Composer | AIF2025

Toril Azzalini-Machecler is a London-based percussionist and composer who graduated with first-class honours from the Royal College of Music. A twice-finalist in BBC Young Musician, he has performed at the BBC Proms, Lucerne Festival, Royal Albert Hall and Ronnie Scott’s. His work spans classical and contemporary music, with collaborations including Dame Evelyn Glennie, Chineke! Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta. He is also a member of the Rothko Collective and has received awards for his compositions.

Violinist & Violist | AIF2025

Max Baillie is a British-German violinist and violist celebrated for his versatility across classical, contemporary, folk and experimental music. A graduate of the Yehudi Menuhin School and Cambridge University, he has collaborated with artists including Steve Reich, Björk, Bobby McFerrin and Mischa Maisky. He has guest-directed the Scottish Ensemble and Britten Sinfonia and is the founder of Lodestar Trio and a member of ZRI, ensembles exploring the rich connections between classical music and folk traditions.

Accordionist & Multi-Instrumentalist | AIF2025

Jon Banks is a British accordionist and multi-instrumentalist whose work spans early music, folk traditions and contemporary performance. He has toured internationally with ensembles including The Burning Bush, the Dufay Collective and the Jocelyn Pook Ensemble. A member of ZRI, he is also a regular performer and musical director at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. His recording credits include The Grand Budapest Hotel, while his academic work explores historical performance practices and musical traditions across cultures.

Harpist | AIF2024 & AIF2025

Christopher Clarke is a Canadian harpist, exploring contemporary music, experimental performance and artistic collaboration. A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University and GSMD, they have performed with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra. Their work includes commissioning new compositions, theatrical productions and performances combining acoustic and electronic instruments. Chris is particularly interested in expanding the expressive possibilities of the harp.

Filmmaker & Visual Artist | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Jim Boxall is an Arran-based filmmaker and visual artist with over 25 years’ experience in moving image. A member of experimental audiovisual collective Origamibiro, he combined live visuals, music and digital technology in performances across the UK and Europe. His film work spans documentary, creative research and arts projects, including award-recognised work. Co-director of Studio Softbox, Jim has been the Arran International Festival’s filmmaker since its inaugural edition in 2024, capturing its performances, people and atmosphere.

Pianist | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Iain Clarke is a pianist originally from the Isle of Arran, working internationally as a collaborative and orchestral musician. A double graduate of the Royal College of Music, he held an accompanist fellowship there from 2022 to 2024. He performs regularly with leading orchestras, including the Philharmonia, London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Equally at home in song and chamber music, Iain collaborates with singers and instrumentalists across a wide range of repertoire.

Clàrsach | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Aisling Coyle is a young clàrsach player from Whiting Bay on the Isle of Arran. A pupil of the Isle of Arran Music School, she is among its most outstanding emerging musicians. She has appeared at the Arran International Festival since its inaugural year in 2024, performing in cultural exchange concerts on Arran and in Mainz, Germany. In 2026, aged just 14, Aisling won the Under-18 Advanced Clàrsach competition at the Royal National Mòd, receiving the Duncan Chisholm Trophy.​

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Trumpeter & Composer | AIF2026

David Enhco is a French trumpeter and composer whose work bridges jazz and classical music. A two-time winner of the prestigious Victoires du Jazz awards, he has performed internationally alongside artists including Quincy Jones, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Didier Lockwood. He is a founding member of The Amazing Keystone Big Band and leads several ensembles. His acclaimed collaboration with Swiss pianist Marc Perrenoud includes CHET, an imaginative tribute to the music of Chet Baker.

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Violinist | AIF2026

Magdalena Filipczak is a Polish violinist whose international career embraces solo performance, chamber music and contemporary repertoire. She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and won the Heino Eller International Violin Competition and the Manhattan International Music Competition Gold Prize. Her debut recording, Essence of Violin, received critical acclaim. At AIF2026, she premiered a new work by Composer-in-Residence Electra Perivolaris, drawing on Scottish, Greek and Polish musical traditions.

Fiddler & Singer | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Arran-born Gillian Frame is an acclaimed Scottish fiddler, singer and educator. Winner of the inaugural BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2001, she co-founded the award-winning folk band Back of the Moon. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, she has performed internationally and released the acclaimed solo album Pendulum. A member of the Scottish fiddle quartet RANT, Gillian is also dedicated to nurturing young traditional musicians on Arran.

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Flautist | AIF2026

Lina Gerstenhauer is a German flautist who graduated from the Hochschule für Musik Mainz in 2025 and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Orchestral Music in Karlsruhe. She has performed with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, Mainzer Virtuosi and Gutenberg Philharmoniker, and appeared as a soloist with the Aachen Symphony Orchestra. A prize winner in chamber music competitions, she was awarded a scholarship and holds an orchestral academy position with the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz.

Clarinettist & Composer | AIF2025

Ben Harlan is a British clarinettist and composer, and the founder and artistic director of ZRI, an ensemble exploring the connections between classical music and Eastern European folk traditions. A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, he has performed internationally with ensembles including The Burning Bush. His recording work includes numerous film soundtracks, and he appeared on screen in Roman Polanski’s The Pianist. He also composed the score for Kate Winslet’s film Goodbye June.

Clàrsach Player & Composer | AIF2026

Rebecca Hill is a Scottish clàrsach player and composer whose music brings together traditional West Coast influences and contemporary musical expression. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, she was named Up and Coming Artist of the Year at the 2020 Scots Trad Music Awards. Her acclaimed duo with fiddler Charlie Stewart has performed internationally and released the albums Thawcrook and Glas. Rebecca also teaches clàrsach at the Isle of Arran Music School.​

Cellist | AIF2024

Gary Hoffman is an internationally acclaimed Canadian cellist, renowned for his expressive musicianship and artistry. The first North American to win the prestigious Rostropovich International Cello Competition in Paris in 1986, he has performed with leading orchestras worldwide, including the London Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. A distinguished chamber musician and teacher, he is Professor in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium. His extensive recordings include works spanning the classical and contemporary cello repertoire.

Tartan Army Spokesperson & Public Speaker | AIF2026

Hamish Husband is a longstanding spokesperson for Scotland’s Tartan Army, representing the country’s travelling football supporters in national and international media. Having followed Scotland since childhood, he has attended numerous World Cups and European Championships, becoming a familiar voice on television, radio and in the press, including CNN and international broadcasters. Known for his humour and colourful storytelling, Hamish celebrates the camaraderie, generosity and distinctive Scottish identity of the Tartan Army.​

Pianist, Organist & Composer | AIF2024 & AIF2025

Alan Kitchen is a Glasgow-based pianist, organist, composer and musical director whose career spans classical, choral and popular music. His original compositions have been performed by orchestras throughout Europe. A graduate of the University of Glasgow, he was formerly the musical director to the celebrated Scottish singer and entertainer Peter Morrison. Director of Music at Kelvin West Parish Church, Alan is also a regular organ recitalist at Kelvingrove Art Gallery. His versatile career encompasses concert performance, arranging and accompanying singers.

Pianist | AIF2026

Agnieszka Kozło is a Polish pianist and chamber musician, recognised for her collaborative artistry. A graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, she teaches at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music. She co-founded the award-winning Ravel Piano Duo in 1996, performing internationally and winning prizes in Greece and the Czech Republic. At AIF2026, she joined violinist Magdalena Filipczak for a programme including a world premiere by Composer-in-Residence Electra Perivolaris.

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Clarinettist & Professor | AIF2025

Felix Löffler is a German clarinettist and Professor of Clarinet at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz. A graduate of the conservatoires in Hannover and Amsterdam, he has held principal clarinet positions with the Berliner Symphoniker and Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg. He has performed with leading orchestras including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Staatskapelle Berlin and Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. A dedicated educator and chamber musician, he served as Vice-Rector of the Hochschule für Musik Mainz from 2017 to 2026.

Flautist | AIF2024

Jessica McNulty is a British flautist and writer, and a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. A finalist in the Needlemaker’s Woodwind Prize, she performs contemporary music and chamber repertoire, including with the Nuada Quintet and Duo Flore. Her international performances include concerts and educational projects in Spain. A founding member of the Iorsa Collective, Jessica is passionate about bringing together music, storytelling and other art forms through creative collaboration and accessible performance.

Actress & Singer | AIF2025

Jackie Morrison is a Scottish actress and singer whose career spans theatre, television and musical performance. She has appeared in leading productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre and London's West End. She starred opposite Sting in his musical The Last Ship, touring internationally, and played Mrs Birling in An Inspector Calls. Her television credits include Coronation Street, EastEnders, Endeavour and Midsomer Murders. A classically trained soprano, she also performs in cabaret and concert.

Baritone & Festival Director | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Richard Morrison is a Scottish baritone and founder of the Arran International Festival. His international career spans more than three decades, with appearances at opera houses including Leipzig, Hannover, Nürnberg and Weimar, and concert venues such as the Berliner Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall. His recordings include releases on Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos and Warner Classics, alongside broadcasts for BBC television and radio. Richard is also a producer, presenter and MBACP registered Counsellor.​

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Singer, Songwriter & Guitarist | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Findlay Napier is an award-winning Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist based on the Isle of Arran. Known for his distinctive storytelling, humour and lyrical craftsmanship, he was named Composer of the Year at the 2025 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards. A former member of Back of the Moon and founding member of The Magpie Arc, his acclaimed solo albums include VIP, Glasgow and Outsider. Findlay also founded the Glasgow Songwriting Festival and performs internationally.

Composer & Pianist | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Electra Perivolaris is a Scottish composer and pianist from the Isle of Arran, whose music draws inspiration from landscape, community and the natural world. Of British and Greek heritage, she studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Royal Academy of Music, and holds a doctorate in Composition from the University of Oxford. Her work has been commissioned by leading orchestras and ensembles, including the BBC Singers and London Symphony Orchestra. Electra has been Composer-in-Residence at the Arran International Festival since 2024.

Jazz Pianist & Composer | AIF2026

Marc Perrenoud is a Swiss jazz pianist and composer who has performed at major international festivals and venues, including Montreux Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Ronnie Scott’s. A graduate of the Lausanne Conservatoire, he has received numerous awards and is co-founder and artistic director of Geneva’s Les Athénéennes festival. He has also been pianist-in-residence with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. His collaboration with French trumpeter David Enhco includes the acclaimed album CHET.

Bandura Player & Singer | AIF2026

Mariia Petrovska is a multi-award-winning Ukrainian bandura player and singer whose performances combine traditional music with contemporary songwriting. After moving to Britain following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she graduated with first-class honours in Popular Music Performance and Songwriting from BIMM Manchester. She has appeared at Liverpool’s Eurovision Village and venues across the UK, while supporting Ukrainian cultural and humanitarian initiatives. At AIF2026, Mariia presented Heart of Ukraine and participated in the festival’s international cultural exchange concert.

Santouri Player | AIF2025

Iris Pissaride is a Cypriot musician specialising in the santouri, a Mediterranean hammered dulcimer. Originally trained as a violist, she studied music at Anglia Ruskin University and holds a doctorate in Sociology from the University of Cambridge. A member of ZRI, she explores the connections between classical music, Mediterranean folk traditions and contemporary improvisation. She has collaborated with artists in Cyprus and the UK and contributed to several recordings with ZRI, including Café Danube.

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Oboist | AIF2026

Judith Quinker is a German oboist studying at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz under Daniela Tessmann, alongside cor anglais studies with Georg Lustig. Originally from Aachen, she began her musical training on piano and cello before discovering the oboe. An accomplished chamber musician, she is a member of the Gadina Wind Quintet, which won second prize at the Andreas Gepp and Anne Strube Chamber Music Competition in 2026. Judith performs regularly in chamber music and orchestral concerts.

Academic, Author & Cultural Ambassador | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Sigrid Rieuwerts is a German academic and leading scholar of Scottish literature, oral traditions and cultural history at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Founder of the university's Scotland Hub and Commissioner for Scotland, she has played a central role in strengthening Scottish-German cultural relations. Her research includes a major critical edition of Sir Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, she received the prestigious Constance Council Prize for European dialogue.

Writer, Dramatist & Storyteller | AIF2024, AIF2025 & AIF2026

Marty Ross is a Scottish writer, dramatist and storyteller based on the Isle of Arran. His extensive career includes acclaimed radio and audio dramas for the BBC, Audible and Big Finish, including adaptations of Dickens produced in collaboration with Sam Mendes. Drawing inspiration from Scottish folklore, gothic literature and the supernatural, Marty brings his stories to life through theatrical performances in unusual settings. His original storytelling productions have been a feature of the Arran International Festival since 2024.

Clarinettist | AIF2025

Max Scheel is a German clarinettist who studied under Professor Felix Löffler at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz. A prizewinner at the national Jugend Musiziert competition, he has performed with the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz, Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg and other leading German orchestras. He has held a principal clarinet position at the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin and received prestigious scholarships, including from Villa Musica Rheinland-Pfalz. Max has also participated in AIF Cultural Exchange Concerts on Arran and in Mainz, Germany.

Cellist, Baritone & Actor | AIF2025

Matthew Sharp is an internationally acclaimed British cellist, baritone, actor and director whose career crosses the boundaries of music and theatre. He has performed with leading orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic and London Philharmonic, and sung principal roles at the Royal Opera House and Opera North. His performances span Wigmore Hall, Glyndebourne and Glastonbury, while his recordings include releases on Sony, EMI, Decca and Naxos. A passionate collaborator, he has premiered over sixty new works.

Cellist | AIF2024

Lydia Shelley is a British cellist based in France, whose international career embraces solo performance and chamber music. A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and Royal College of Music, she was a founding member of the Finzi Quartet and spent a decade with the acclaimed Quatuor Voce. She has performed at Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw and Philharmonie de Paris. Her collaborations include cellist Gary Hoffman, exploring Bach’s suites alongside newly commissioned works.

Violist, Composer & Director | AIF2025

Dominic Stokes is a British violist, composer and director whose work explores contemporary music and creative collaboration. He has performed with the Riot Ensemble, Manchester Camerata and 12 Ensemble, appearing at the Venice Biennale, Lucerne Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival. Founder and director of the award-winning Rothko Collective, he has commissioned over 25 new works. His performances and collaborations have brought new music to audiences at Wigmore Hall, Kings Place and the Barbican.

Horn Player | AIF2026

Tabea Träger is a German horn player who studied under Kristian Katzenberger at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz. Her orchestral experience has taken her to major concert venues, including Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie and Stuttgart’s Liederhalle. An active chamber musician, she performs with the Gadina Wind Quintet and Gutenberg Winds octet. With the latter, she contributed to a recording of Verdi’s Rigoletto for the Opera Retold audiobook series. Her musical activities embrace both orchestral performance and chamber music.

Traditional Scottish Piping Trio | AIF2026

Skirl Power is a young traditional music trio from the Isle of Arran, comprising Kitty Townsend and Katherine Coyle on pipes, and Laura Coyle on drums. Each a prizewinner in their own right, they are the first Isle of Arran Music School graduates to gain places at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In 2025, they performed with the New Scottish Sinfonia at Hamburg’s Laeiszhalle for Arran Arts International, and have appeared in the Arran International Festival’s Cultural Exchange Concerts.

Flautist | AIF2024 & AIF2025

Lucy Walsh is a Scottish flautist from Whiting Bay on the Isle of Arran. A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, she continued her studies at the Hochschule der Künste Bern in Switzerland. Her work embraces classical and contemporary music, improvisation and interdisciplinary collaboration. Co-founder of the Iorsa Collective, Lucy has performed internationally and premiered new compositions by Electra Perivolaris. She has been closely involved with the Arran International Festival since its inaugural year.

Pianist | AIF2025

Kewen Wang is a Chinese pianist whose international career embraces solo performance, chamber music and song accompaniment. She studied in Hamburg and Cologne before pursuing advanced studies at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz under Professor Thomas Hell. A prizewinner in competitions across China, Germany and the USA, she received the Rotary Club Mainz Cultural Award in 2024. Kewen performs internationally and has participated in AIF Cultural Exchange Concerts on Arran and in Mainz, Germany.

Bassoonist | AIF2026

Seoul-born bassoonist Gabin Yeom studied at Kyung Hee University before beginning a master’s degree with Axel Benoit at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz in 2024. She won first prize at the Music Journal Competition in 2021 and second prize with the Gadina Wind Quintet at the Andreas Gepp and Anne Strube Chamber Music Competition in 2026. As part of the AIF Young Soloists, she performed in the festival’s international cultural exchange concerts on Arran.

Clarinettist | AIF2026

Dylan Zöller is a German clarinettist who began his musical career singing in opera productions with the children’s choir at the National Theatre Mannheim. He studied clarinet under Professor Felix Löffler at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz before joining the orchestra academy at Theater Erfurt. A prizewinner at the national Jugend Musiziert competition, he has performed at the Bayreuth Festival with the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt (Oder). Dylan is also an active chamber musician and member of the Gadina Wind Quintet.