New Christmas Single – Shandy and Mousetta’s Waltz
I’m delighted to share our new Christmas single, “Shandy and Mousetta’s Waltz”, performed by Simon Thoumire and Rory Matheson.
This waltz has a heartwarming story behind it. I wrote it for my friend Gillian Dunlop, inspired by her daughter Iona’s lovely gesture. When Iona goes out, she brings Gillian’s two teddy bears, Shandy and Mousetta, downstairs to keep her mum company. This simple, caring act captures what Christmas is truly about – looking after people and making sure no one feels alone.
I imagined Gillian and the teddy bears having their own little ceilidh whilst Iona is away – perhaps sharing a dance together in the sitting room!
About the Artists:
Simon Thoumire is a highly respected virtuoso English concertina player and past winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Traditional Musician Award. An accomplished composer, he has created music for numerous projects and performed with many artists including Dave Milligan and Ian Carr. Simon is also the founder of Hands Up for Trad, which promotes Scottish music and culture through various projects, including the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award and the Scots Trad Music Awards.
Assynt-born pianist Rory Matheson is quickly establishing himself as one of the most sought-after musicians in Scottish traditional music. Known for his dynamic yet sympathetic accompaniment, he is equally at home on stage and in the studio. A versatile arranger, composer and producer, Rory has collaborated with an impressive list of artists including Hannah Rarity, Gary Innes, Donald Shaw and Michelle McManus. He’s a founding member of folk band TRIP and regularly performs with FARA, The Madeleine Stewart Trio and the Ross Miller Band.
The single is available now, and we’d be delighted if you’d consider it for airplay this festive season.