Hands Up for Trad is delighted to announce the premiere of founder Simon Thoumire’s 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 a significant addition to the piping repertoire – extended compositions that bridge traditional and contemporary approaches whilst drawing deeply from our Gaelic heritage.
https://pipinglive.co.uk/events/ceilearadh-by-simon-thoumire
Project Support
Simon’s groundbreaking work was made possible through generous support from Maoin nan Ealan Gàidhlig (the Gaelic Arts Fund), whose funding enabled essential research in South Uist. Working alongside Gaelic speakers and tradition bearers, Simon ensured these compositions are rooted in authentic cultural understanding – a methodology that reflects Hands Up for Trad’s commitment to respectful engagement with traditional knowledge.
Particular thanks go to Mairi MacMillan, whose knowledge of traditional Gaelic culture and bird lore proved invaluable to the project. 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 9-11 minutes each – are written from a bagpiper’s perspective but extend beyond conventional ceòl mòr, incorporating bagpipe techniques and movements in entirely 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 exceptional 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.
This event is free to attend with your festival day site ticket, taking place in the Bothy tent. Please arrive in good time to witness this significant moment in Highland bagpipe music.
The premiere represents not just new compositions, but exemplifies Hands Up for Trad’s mission to support innovative work that honours cultural origins whilst embracing creative development. Ceilearadh demonstrates how contemporary artists can engage meaningfully with traditional material, creating new voices that respect and extend our musical heritage.
For more information about Piping Live Festival, visit [festival website]. To support projects like Ceilearadh, consider becoming a member of Hands Up for Trad.
https://pipinglive.co.uk/events/ceilearadh-by-simon-thoumire