Internationally acclaimed Scottish fiddler and violinist, Brandon Vance, is the recipient of Scotland’s 2017 Royal National Mòd “Sutherland Cup” in Scottish Fiddle, Charleston, South Carolina’s 2021 “Dan Rory MacDonald Memorial Prize in Fiddling” sponsored by the Clan Donald Lands Trust, as well as being the youngest to win the U.S. National Open Scottish Fiddling Championship in both 1999 and 2001.

Vance has performed and taught internationally, serving as a guest lecturer at the University of Limerick’s Irish World Academy, appearing as guest artist for the 50th Anniversary of the Armagh Piper’s Club at the William Kennedy Piping Festival, and being selected as a featured soloist at the 2017 Scottish Royal National Mòd in Fort William.

With a M.M. from the Cleveland Institute of Music, one of the continent’s most distinguished conservatories, Vance is a full-time violinist for the Seattle-based Skyros Quartet, as well being Artistic Director for Seattle-based arts education non-profit, Chamber Music Guild. Vance also has over a decade of experience teaching violin, and is Suzuki Certified through the Sato Center for Suzuki Studies. Drawing from his unique background in both alternative styles and classical music, Vance has developed a fiddle-based curriculum that is designed to complement the Suzuki method.

Vance performs with Northwest Sinfonietta, Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Pacific Music Works, Early Music Vancouver. In addition to being a founding member of Celtic Ensemble Dréos and World Music Ensemble Alchymeia, and Different Drummer, with Anna Doak, Vance is a composer with a distinctive melodic and harmonic vocabulary, having given the world premiere of his original composition “Gael Storm” for fiddle and orchestra with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra at Severance Hall. Vance has also worked with his Celtic ensemble Dréos to compose, arrange, and perform music for the world premiere of Ballet Fantastique’s “Sleepy Hollow.”

Vance has a prestigious recording career, having recorded 7 albums and self-produced 3 albums, including his solo album “Gentleman & Scholar.” In collaboration with Stephen Rice, Vance’s violin playing has been featured on sound tracks for several major TV series, including, Jane the Virgin, Sons of Anarchy, and Grandma’s Pickle Recipe.

In addition to having a well-established international career as a violinist and fiddler, Vance is also emerging as a traditional Gaelic singer, having been ranked 3rd in the Skye and Sutherland Open Competition at the 2017 Royal National Mòd.