Traditional Scottish music that hasn’t been heard since the 16th century is soon to be heard across the country, with the appointment of a Historical Musician in Residence. The three-year residency project, has been partly financed by a £100,000 Scottish Arts Council (SAC)Lottery Grant and has been created by a consortium of the SAC, Fife Council, Dundee City Council and the Angus Council. The post will see the resident musician conduct research on the historic material of the regions, prepare scores, produce readings as well as hosting workshops, school visits and performances. A website will also be created to promote the musical collections and extend the profile of the historical musical resources available. Among the material available is the Panmure Manuscript housed in Brechin Castle in Argyle and the Wemyss and Balcarres lute manuscripts of Fife. Nod Knowles, Head of Music for the SAC, has remarked that such music is intermingled with the oral folk tradition unique to the regions. 'This will give them the chance to reflect on the richness of their musical past and explore ways to incorporate this into the present,' he added. Meanwhile, the SAC has also announced the recipients of grants under the its Writing Fellowship Scheme. Among the seven writers to receive grants was Linda Cracknell, who is renowned as one of Scotland’s finest short story writers. During her one-year fellowship Cracknell will be based at the Brownsbank Cottage in Biggar, where she will have the chance to encourage literary awareness and creative writing in the South Lanarkshire region. Other organisations to have received funding for a Writing Fellowship include; Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association, Midlothian/East Lothian Councils, Perth and Kinross Council, Renfrewshire Libraries, Sabhal Mor Ostaig and University of Edinburgh. All of these applicants received a grant of £7,500 to appoint a writing fellow for one year.