Singer-songwriter Toni's surprise at Ubeat award win

A BARNARD Castle singer-songwriter has scooped a prestigious regional music award.
Toni Sidgwick was judged Ubeat traditional act of the year and picked up her award at Newcastle’s O2 Academy earlier this month.
The 29-year-old IT support assistant at Barnard Castle School relocated to the town just a year ago from her native Shetland and has made an immediate mark with her folk-pop acoustic music.
She was one of about 1,500 applicants to enter the awards, which were organised by Ubeat, a music TV programme on the Newcastle-based Made in Tyne and Wear channel, and was subsequently one of ten artists shortlisted in the traditional category, which encompassed folk, blues, jazz and country.
“The Ubeat team picked the nominees and the winners were picked by music industry professionals,” said Ms Sidgwick.
“I was surprised when I was nominated and even more surprised when my name was called out as the winner.”
Ms Sidgwick grew up in Ollaberry, in the north of the Shetland mainland, and learned to play the fiddle at school, although guitar is her preferred instrument these days
She added: “I have always been into folky music rather than traditional Shetland music. I really started getting into it when I was at university.”
She relocated to Barnard Castle with partner Paul and the pair were among the organisers of the inaugural Barney Jam, a day-long music festival featuring more than 20 acts in seven town pubs.
“The year has flown by. It’s been a brilliant year of gigs, getting my name and music out there.
“It’s been lovely. I started out doing open mic nights at the Golden Lion, playing my own songs quite a lot.
“People seemed to like it, which is nice,” she added.
Among the highlights was supporting Maz O'Connor at the Arc, Stockton and she will see out 2016 with a New Year’s Eve gig on home territory at the Three Horseshoes, in Barnard Castle.
“The music scene in the region is really good. There are always gigs on and even in smaller bars you get some really good acoustic artists,” she said.
Ms Sidgwick has now started writing and performing with percussionist Gary Sanders and plans to release an EP of new music early in the new year.
Anyone interested in hearing Ms Sidgwick’s music can search for tonisidgwickmusic on Facebook and soundcloud.com