Ceilearadh – 3 brand new bagpipe sonatas premiered at Piping Live
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.
This event is free to attend with your festival day site ticket, taking place in the Bothy tent. I’m excited to share these new voices in Highland bagpipe music with you.
The premiere represents not just new compositions, but a methodology for creating contemporary work from traditional material that honours cultural origins whilst embracing creative innovation. It’s been a privilege to undertake this journey from the landscapes of South Uist to the stages of Glasgow, and I look forward to sharing Ceilearadh with the piping community.
