Meet an OttScot: Ken Bartlett

By Nujma Bond

Ken Bartlett is the SSO’s new director of Hogmanay Ceilidh 2025. He jokes that he’s only 1/32 Scottish so it’s a “steep” learning curve. There’s no doubt that as a member of the SSO he’ll quickly learn more about the country where he has distant Scottish roots!

He was first approached last year by an SSO member to be stage manager for the SSO’s 2024 New Year’s Eve Hogman-EH! event. The timing was perfect. “I had been looking for an opportunity to volunteer and I had the skills they were looking for so it was a good fit,” he says.

Ken brings with him a wealth of experience in the music business having been a former sound engineer and tour manager based out of Nashville, Tennessee while commuting to and from Ottawa. When he was asked to take on the role of director of this year’s Hogmanay event, he said yes. He started by renaming the event as "Hogmanay Ceilidh - From the Streets of Edinburgh!" and moving it to a smaller venue.

It’s not the only thing keeping him busy right now. Ken works as an IT leader with a large school board in Ottawa, he’s getting ready for his son’s fall wedding, and plays hockey a few times a week. He says he could play even more often, being in great demand as a goalie!