Limerick October 2015

I was sitting in church the other week and the hymn - Blessed are you, Lord, God of all Creation by Father Aniceto Nazareth suddenly appeared in front of me! It's beauty made me sit up straight and listen. I hadn't heard it in a long time and I immediately thought I must record this with church organ. I had a think about the arrangement, wrote it down and asked the great Scottish piano player Tom Orr if he would mind recording an organ part for me. I've gone for a modern take but hopefully you will still find the beauty in the melody. More of my #makegoodart at http://simonthoumire.com/make-good-art/

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all Creation

This was played live in 2001 to open Celtic Connections festival.

Introitus

Hostias

Sanctus

This is an interview about our upcoming piece at Celtic Connections 26th January, Barony Halls 7:30pm. We would love to see you along at the gig - it will be amazing. They managed to say my name wrong and the name of the piece however outside of that it's great! https://www.celticconnections.com/event/1/blazin-fiddles-with-simon-thoumire-dave-milligan-alana-nicaongais

Dol Fodha Na Grèine - Celtic Connections 26th January, Barony Halls 7:30pm.

I'm currently at Hands Up for Trad's Tinto Summer School in South Lanarkshire. It's an amazing week with brilliant young people and fabulous tutors. There is not a lot of time to think about anything so here is a wee jig to dance to!

Tinto Duck

I’m delighted to announce the premiere of my latest work, Ceilearadh, at the Piping Live Festival on Thursday 14th August at 1:30pm in the Bothy tent. This collection of three Highland Bagpipe Sonatas represents something genuinely new in the piping repertoire – extended compositions that bridge traditional and contemporary approaches whilst drawing deeply from our Gaelic heritage.

Special Thanks

I must begin by expressing my gratitude to Maoin nan Ealan Gàidhlig (the Gaelic Arts Fund) whose generous support made this project possible. Their funding allowed me to undertake essential research in South Uist, working alongside Gaelic speakers and tradition bearers to ensure these compositions are rooted in authentic cultural understanding.

My thanks also go to Mairi MacMillan, whose knowledge of traditional Gaelic culture and bird lore proved invaluable. Coming from an indigenous Gaelic family where birds were integral to daily life – marking seasons, protecting animals, and indicating appropriate times for harvesting around nesting patterns – Mairi shared not just the poetry itself, but the lived cultural context that gave these verses their meaning.

About Ceilearadh

Each sonata draws inspiration from historic Gaelic poetry about birds, creating a unique bridge between Scotland’s ancient literary traditions and contemporary musical expression. The three works – lasting 10-12 minutes each – are written from a bagpiper’s perspective but extend beyond conventional ceòl mòr, incorporating bagpipe techniques and movements in new ways.

The three sonatas are based on these traditional poems:

A’ Chearc (The Chicken)
Tog, tog, tog,
Tog an rud a dh’fhàg mi,
Ge beag an t-ugh, ge beag an t-ugh,
Tha stà ann, tha stà ann.

Rug, rug, rug a dhà,
Rug, rug, rug a dhà;
Gog, gog, gog, gog, gog, gog, gaog,
Beiridh mise h-uile là,
‘S cha bheir an crodh-laoigh.

A’ Bhuidheag (The Yellowfinch)
A Bhuidheag bhuidhe bhòidheach,
Bheir mise latha Dòmhnach
A’ sguabadh do sheòmair”,
Ars a’ chearc bhuidhe ghòrach.

An Trìlleachan san Tràigh (Oystercatcher on the Shore)
Och, is och, is och mo dhunaidh,
Mis an so an cois na tuinne,
Is mi gun bhuille de’n t-snàmh.

These compositions explore the intersection of nature, language, and music, translating the rhythms and calls of birds as captured in traditional Gaelic verse into extended musical forms. Whilst respecting the deep traditions of Highland piping, the works push creative boundaries to offer something genuinely fresh in the bagpipe literature.

The Performance

The premiere will feature three brilliant pipers, each performing one sonata:

Simon McKerrell performing A’ Bhuidheag
Fionnlagh Mac A Phiocair performing A’ Chearc
Bede Patterson performing An Trìlleachan san Tràigh
The performance follows a discussion about expanding piobaireachd’s horizons, hosted by Josh Dickson and Barnaby Brown, making it part of a broader conversation about the future of our piping traditions.

A' Chearc - Fionnlagh Mac A Phiocair

A' Bhuidheag - Simon McKerrell

An Trilleachan san traigh - Bede Paterson

Four pieces performed by the Strathspey and Surreal Orchestra at the Scots Fiddle Festival on 15th November 2025 in Edinburgh. The pieces feature traditional and composed material - arranged by Simon Thoumire - the idea being to take old tunes and arrange them in new ways. The band on this recording are:

Patsy Reid
Benedict Morris
Edie Elliott 
Adam Sutherland
Rae Maciver
Rachel Henderson
Elisabet McConnell
Naomi Priestnall
Douglas Montgomery
Anika Thomas
Eryn Rae
Laura Wilkie

All arrangements by Simon Thoumire 2025
Find out more at http://www.simonthoumire.com

Cluny Castle feat Patsy Reid

Deil Amang the Fiddlers

Bloobell Polka

Scott Skinner's Compliments to Dr. MacDonald

Here's a wee tune written on the African thumb piano. It's the first time I've used it since Dave Milligan and I bought it in Australia way back in 2002!

All Thumbs

Taybank Shenanigans

Flutter

Two tunes 'Every Man for Himself' by Mhairi Mackinnon and 'The Smasher' by Jack Smedley and a traditional song 'My Brown Haired Boy' performed by the undergraduates of the music BA at Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. This was performed live at the Concert Hall on 29th October 2015.

Every Man for Himself / The Smasher

Flutter (written by Simon Thoumire) performed by the undergraduates of the music BA at Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. This was performed live at the Concert Hall on 29th October 2015.

Flutter (live)

Two tunes 'Road Drill' by Ian Carr and 'Taybank Shenanigans' by Ross Ainslie performed by the undergraduates of the music BA at Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. This was performed live at the Concert Hall on 29th October 2015.

Road Drill / Taybank Shennanigans

Want to hear something beautiful? Listen to Dave Milligan's wonderful rendition of Freedom Come All Ye! Dave and I recorded this on the beautiful Steinway Grand at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall last week before we performed with Altan at the Hillhead Bookclub for BBC ALBA. If you enjoy this content please consider supporting my Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/simonthoumire

Freedom Come All Ye

It's good to find things that are sore! This definitely was - better spruce up my technique :-)

Sore

I was planning a track to record this week when the The East Neuk of Fife sprang to mind from J. Scott Skinner's 'The Harp and Claymore' Collection. I was just going though the variations when I noticed the tempo - 136bpm! It is ridiculous. I actually think it is too fast - I preferred 130bpm but in homage to the great man and composer here it is at 136 :-)

The East Neuk Of Fife - Homage to J. Scott Skinner at 136 bpm!

This beautiful tune was written by fiddler Alexander Troup from Ballater, Aberdeenshire. Troup was a contemporary of J Scott Skinner (he played in a band with Skinner's brother). He judged violin competitions at Grantown-upon-Spey with Charles Grant (student of Marshall) in 1880s and was David Baptie's source for a lot of info about fiddlers in the book Musical Scotland, Past and Present: Being a Dictionary of Scottish Musicians, from about 1400 Till the Present Time (1894). Thanks for all this precious information Ronnie Gibson (@scat4230), Dr Karen McAuley (@karenmca) and Stuart Eydmann (@EydmannHeritage).

Cluny Castle, situated in the tranquil undulating farmland of Aberdeenshire known as Gordon Country, is hidden from view by over two hundred acres of landscaped policies.  Dating back to 14th century it continues to be a much loved home of the Gordons of Cluny.  Between 1820 and 1870 a smaller castle was transformed into the magnificent crenellated mansion that exists today.  The name “Cluny” originates from the Gaelic word for ‘meadow’, and at Cluny Castle superb exuberant architecture and beautiful grounds of a great Scottish castle combine perfectly to create a secluded and romantic pastoral retreat.  

Cluny Castle

My project for this week was to make a set of music written by female composers in the 18/19th century. As you can imagine society and fiddle playing was quite male dominated and there is not too much music written by lady composers around. I did manage to find out about Lucy Johnston of Hilton who was included in Niel Gow's and the Scottish Musical Museum collections. Also Miss Magdelina Stirling has a collection c1812. The strathspey Lady Lucy Ramsay in the set was written by 'A Female Amateur'!

Miss L. Johnston's Complements to Niel Gow (Lucy Johnston of Hilton), Lady Lucy Ramsay (A Female Amateur), Lord Torphican's Strathspey, Perthshire Hunt (both Miss Magdelina Stirling)

Miss L. Johnston's Complements to Niel Gow

Uploaded with AudioShare app - http://kymatica.com/audioshare

Turnpike Reel

My version of The Bluebell Polka (written by Frank Stanley) and J. F. Dickies Reel (written by J. Murdoch Henderson) and performed by the Strathspey and Surreal Society on Saturday 4th February 2017 at Celtic Connections.

Three reels by the late great fiddler Hector MacAndrew. Burnside of Forglen is a small farm near Turiff, Aberdeenshire and belonged to Mr and Mrs George Morrison. Sandy Edmonstone who performed with Hector's dad lived in this cottage in Carradale and Bob Munro was fiddle enthusiast from Thurso.

Three Reels: Burnside of Forglen, Carradale Cottage, Bob Munro

Hands Up for Trad have a new TV programme on Facebook and YouTube and it needed an intro theme! I wrote this wee tune and recorded it with my son Charlie on bodhran and asked the fabulous Ryan Corbett to contribute a piano part. Here is 11s of music!

Hands Up For Trad TV Theme

I was revisiting some old tunes the other day and I happened across Margaret's Waltz by Pat Shuldham-Shaw. It's never been one of my favourites (stupid I know) however I read up on the tune and its amazing journey to reach Scotland and it is now one of my favourite tunes! I visited fab pianist Mhairi Hall in Dunblane and we played it with the Pat's companion tune Farewell to Devon.

If you enjoy my videos and music please consider supporting my Patreon on http://www.patreon.com/simonthoumire

This set is a video where I talk about the tunes. You can watch it here https://youtu.be/-W4xynBWkWA

If you want to try the two tunes - you can find them here https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rYiCGq26KCrs5DIE2CzWBbTjI6AGQagC

You can get more information about me
http://www.simonthoumire.com
http://www.youtube.com/simonthoumire1
http://www.twitter.com/simonthoumire
http://www.facebook.com/simonthoumiremusic
http://www.soundcloud.com/simonthoumire
http://www.instagram.com/simonthoumire

Margaret's Waltz - Farewell to Devon by Simon Thoumire and Mhairi Hall

This tune was written in October 2018 in Braemar at a Live Music Now Scotland and St Margaret's Braemar teaching week. I worked with the young people to come up with ideas and we put this tune together. It's great! The musicians performing this recording are myself, Ellie McLaren (fiddle) and Brian McAlpine (piano). We used the tune as the theme tune for the 2018 FRADS Awards.

If you like my content and would like to help me create more please consider supporting my Patreon account http://www.patreon.com/simonthumire

FRADS Theme by Simon Thoumire and young people of Braemar

Here is the hornpipe The Poppy Leaf from my YouTube vlog Easy Concertina Repair - Fix that note! I've played the Poppy Leaf for years now and I still love it! If you live my content please consider supporting my Patreon http://www.patreon.com/simonthoumire

Poppy Leaf Hornpipe

Me and Mark went out to film a vlog on filmmaking in the Milngavie hills. We eventually found this log to sit on and record a couple of tunes. The jig is The Waterworks jig and the reel is Music in the Glen.

If you like this content please consider supporting my Patreon account http://www.patreon.com/simonthoumire

Watch the whole vlog https://youtu.be/gKWZ_9CZek4

You can get more information about me
➡️ http://www.simonthoumire.com
➡️ http://www.soundcloud.com/simonthoumire

Twitter @simonthoumire
Facebook @simonthoumiremusic
Instagram @simonthoumire

The Waterworks Jig / Music in the Glen by Simon Thoumire and Mark Maguire

I've started a new podcast on the Anchor.fm platform which means it is time to write a new theme tune! I'm very lucky to know some very talented musicians and piano player Ryan Corbett contributed some fabulous piano to this track. It's the best thing about it! You can listen to the podcast at https://anchor.fm/simon-thoumire

Simon Thoumire Podcast Theme Tune

This tune - Yes Sir I Can Boogie - was written by Ian Carr and we recorded it in Sundsvall in Sweden! It's a funny tune!

If you like this content please consider supporting my Patreon account http://www.patreon.com/simonthoumire. Every little bit helps!

Find out more about our music at http://www.thoumirecarr.com

Yes Sir I Can Boogie by Ian Carr

This is St Mungo's Welcome to Scott Skinner played by me and great guitarist Michael Bryan. It's James Scott Skinner tune and was written for the Celtic Tournament at Glasgow 4th Nov 1889. It appears in his Harp and Claymore Collection of music.

If you like this material and would like to help support my music making please check out my Patreon http://www.patreon.com/simonthoumire

St Mungo's Welcome to Scott Skinner by Simon Thoumire and Michael Bryan

This tune is taken from my vlog - On Being Curious - where I look into tunes with 'Devil' in the title. I found De'il Tak the War in The Caledonian Muse (1790) and then found out about it's history - it was written by Thomas D'Urfey in circa 1696. Thanks to the fabulous David McGuinness for 1. suggesting we perform it on harpsichord and 2. playing the harpsichord!

If you like the content please consider supporting my Patreon http://www.patreon.com/simonthoumire

https://youtu.be/nEpaCRpVy88

Deil Tak The War - Simon Thoumire and David McGuinness

I am a folk musician who likes my music to bend round corners. If you like my music please support my Patreon http://www.patreon.com/simonthoumire

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