Breather is inspired by the Companion Stones along the West Highland Way — carved waymarkers that invite travellers to pause and reflect on their journey. The piece imagines two friends meeting at one of these stones and spontaneously sharing a ceilidh, echoing a story of two musician friends who encountered[…]
I’m delighted to share that this August, I’ll be presenting a special retrospective concert as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, marking twenty years of my work as a composer. The Hub, Edinburgh — Monday 24 August 2026, 8.00pm The programme will look back across two decades of composition, drawing[…]
The world premiere of Dà Chòmhlan-Ciùil De Cheathrar — “Twa Quartets” — composed by Simon Thoumire, performed live at the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention (NAFCo) in the Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen. The piece brings together eight musicians — the Thistle String Quartet and the Cuan Quartet (a folk quartet of piano and three[…]
A Ceilidh for Fiddle and Clàrsach Performed by: Laura Penman (clàrsach) and Anna Robertson (fiddle) Film by: Martin Forry I wrote this three-movement ceilidh inspired by a haiku written by award-winning musician Josie Duncan when she lost her sunglasses at Tinto Summer School. While the poem began as a playful lament[…]
I’m delighted to announce that my new commission Dà Chòmhlan-Ciùil De Cheathrar (Twa Quartets) will receive its premiere at a special Lunchbreak Concert in Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen, on Thursday 9 April as a teaser for the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention. This piece has been an exciting creative challenge – it’s the first[…]
