Hire Gary Thomson | Bagpiper in Glasgow

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From£160

1 hour

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Ardrossan Selection of 4/4 Marches

PGDE Closing ceremony Strathclyde Uni

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About Gary

Pipe Major with many years of experience offering a friendly, professional service for any event.

3 of 35 photos

Bagpiper

Glasgow

Public liability insurance of £5 million

Verified profile

I am Piper Major Gary Thomson, an award winning Bagpiper from East Kilbride. I have many years of experience playing the Bagpipes offering a friendly, professional service personally suited to you for any event. Weddings Funerals Events Private Tuition I am currently the Pipe Major of Milngavie Pipe Band. This season the band has performed exceptionally well in major competitions under my leadership. Throughout my Bagpiping career I have won many competitions for both band and solo performances. Through my Private Tuition, I have transformed beginner and intermediate Bagpipe players of all ages into highly skilled Bagpipers. I have been vetted by the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. I can travel to any locations throughout the UK for your event.

Gary

5 out of 5

101 verified reviews

Satisfaction

5.0

Professionalism

5.0

Communication

5.0

Punctuality

5.0

Gary's Reviews

5 out of 5

Gary was the perfect choice for our wedding, being there made our ceremony truly perfect!

Reply from Gary

1 month ago

Thanks Elaine, your family and friends were all very friendly, I’m glad I could add a bit of Scottish tradition to your ceremony. I wish you and Tim all the best for the future. Kind regards Gary

5 out of 5

First time booking a piper and I couldn't have chosen better! Gary arrived in plenty of time for our birthday celebration. Played a great selection outside and inside and also requests. Played whilst we were having pre dinner drinks, then piped us into the dining room. He was so friendly, accommodating and professional. Would definitely hire him again ~ if he was available!

Reply from Gary

2 months ago

Thanks Kathleen for your kind review. Everyone was so friendly and complimentary it made playing for your birthday celebration very enjoyable. I wish you and your sister many more memorable birthday parties. Kind regards Gary

5 out of 5

Absolutely outstanding from Gary, our guests loved it. Perfect touch to a perfect day, very professional, prompt and Gary communicated throughout the whole booking process. Thank you again Gary.

Reply from Gary

3 months ago

Thanks Mehmet, I’m glad I could add a bit of Scottish Tradition to your wedding. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, everyone was so friendly. I wish you and Caitlin all the very best for the future. Kind regards Gary

5 out of 5

Gary was absolutely fantastic looked great in the full Scottish regalia everyone mention how good Gary sounded would recommend 10/10

Reply from Gary

4 months ago

Thanks Sarah, I thoroughly enjoyed playing for your wedding at Dalziel Park, it was a lovely day. I wish you and Patrick all the very best for the future Kind regards Gary

Read all 91 reviews

5 out of 5

Hi Gary, I just wanted to say thanks again for doing such a spectacular job at our wedding! We especially appreciated how you put extra time in, making sure to coordinate with the organist. You play beautifully, and we loved having you be part of our day!

5 out of 5

We at Ayr Burns Club are again indebted to you for being with us yet again to enhance our tribute to Robert Burns . Gary your music is so lovely and everyone enjoys our ceremonies as you lift them with such warmth and spirit, simply because it comes from your heart. From our hearts we thank you, Kathleen, Robbie, Anne, and the members of Ayr Burns Club.

Read all 13 reviews

Encore badges

Most booked musician of 2021!

Top 10 booked musician of 2023

Top 10 booked musician of 2022

Most booked in region, 2022

Lightning fast responses

Average response time under 2 hours

100 gigs

Legendary: 100 bookings through Encore!

Saved the day!

Booked for an Encore gig with less than 24 hours’ notice

7th Anniversary

This act has been working with Encore for over 7 years

Member of the Encore community forum

Gary's Song list

Popular Wedding Tunes:

Highland Cathedral

Mhairi’s Wedding

Flower of Scotland

Amazing Grace

Caledonia

Scotland the Brave

Rowan Tree

Old Rustic Bridge

Murdo’s Wedding

Muckin’ O’ Geordies Byre

Bonny Dundee

Cock o’ the North

Northern Lights of Aberdeen

I love a Lassie

Funeral Tunes:

Flowers of the Forest

The Dark Isle

My Home

Going Home

Skye Boat Song

Mist Covered Mountains

Never Walk Alone

May your Heart Still Go On

Unlawful Tunes on Unlawful Pipes

Military Tunes:

The Black Bear

Highland Laddie

Popular Burns Tunes:

A Man’s a Man for A’ That

Scots Wa Hae

Rantin’ Rovin’ Robin

Battle of Killiecrankie

Bonny Lass o’ Fyvie

Aye Fon Kiss

Corn Rigs are Bonny

Auld Lang Syne

Highland Dancing Tunes:

Ghillie Callum

Devil in the Kitchen

Marquis of Huntley

Battle of the Somme

Christmas Carols:

Hark the Herald

Come o ye Faithful

Jingle Bells

We wish you a Merry Christmas

6/8 Marches:

Glenderaul Highlanders

Leaving Port Askaig

Angus MacKinnon

Donald McLeans Farewell to Lewis

Lily Christie

Rab’s Wedding

Bengullion

Jean Mauchlin

Auld Adam

Crossing the Rhine

3/4 Marches:

Greenhills of Tyrol

The battle’s o’er

Lochanside

Colin’s Cattle

Castle Dangerous

Bloody Fields of Flanders

4/4 Marches:

Wings

Dawning of the Day

Flett from Flotta

Caber Feidh

Battle of Waterloo

Garden of Skye

Pipe Major Robert Martin

Lord Lovatt’s Lament

9/8 Marches

Heights of Dargai

Battle of the Somme

Bathgate Highland Games

12/8 Marches:

Ian Macmaster

Brigadier Snow

2/4 Marches:

Highland Wedding

Lord Alexander Kennedy

Hugh Kennedy

John MacDonald of Glencoe

The Conundrum

John MacFadyen of Melfort

Atholl and Breadlebane Gathering

Craig- n- Darroch

Loch Katrine

Leaving Lunga

Drunken Piper

Terribus

Farewell to Redcastle

The Brown Haired Maiden

Strathspeys:

Anniston Castle

Susan MacLeod

Dora MacLeod

Atholl Cummers

Shepherd’s Crook

Ewe With the Crooked Horn

Cameronian Rant

Maggie Cameron

Caber Feidh

Inveraray Castle

Highland Harry

Captain Horne

Braes of Mar

Mollie Connell

Reels:

Fiona MacLeod

Caber Feidh

Major Manson

MacAllisters Dirk

Thompsons Dirk

Mrs MacPherson of Inveran

John Morrison of Assynt House

The Smith of Chilliechassie

The Sheepwife

The Mason’s Apron

Lexy MacAskill

Sleepy Maggie

Blonde Haired Maiden

Easy Club Reel

The Gravel Path

Jigs:

Banjo Breakdown

Irish Washerwoman

Paddy’s Leather Breeches

Paddy Be Easy

Donald Cameron’s Powderhorn

Jig of Slurs

Glasgow City Police

Dirty Lough

The Fuddler

John Pattterson’s Mare

Fiddler’s Rally

Hornpipes:

Willie Gray

Man from Skye

Crossing the Minch

Beverley’s Wedding

Train Journey North

Tam Bain’s Lum

Stevie’s First Bar

Joanna’s Hornpipe

TheWalrus House of Edgar

Pumpkin Fancy

House of Edgar

Lucy Cassidy

The High Drive

Gary's Prices

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Performance duration	Price
Short performance (up to 15 min)	£120
Up to 1 hour	£160
Up to 2 hours	£180
Up to 3 hours	£200

Welcome package

Piping for 1 hour to welcome guests arriving for wedding ceremony.

£140

Welcome and Ceremony package

Piping 1 hour to welcome guests arriving for wedding. Piping bride up the aisle and then bride and groom back down the aisle.

£160

Full package

Piping for 1 hour to welcome guests arriving for wedding ceremony. Piping bride up the aisle and then bride and groom back down the aisle. Pipe in top table then bride and groom for evening dinner.

£180

Customer questions

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

I try my best to be flexible as I know things often change on the day. If timings change just let me know and I’ll fit in with your requirements.

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

No.

How much time do you need to set up?

Normally I take 10 minutes to set up.

Can I pick the pieces you play from the set list?

Yes of course, the set list is an example of popular tunes I can play, I have many more, too many to list. Whatever piece of music you would like I will most likely be able to play.

Do you bring all the equipment you need to perform?

Yes, I bring my own instrument.

Can you learn specific pieces before the event?

I can if the specific piece can be played on the bagpipes.

What do your clients love most about your performances?

My high standard of performance, my full regalia of uniform and my friendly personality.

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

Brig o’ Doon, Forter Castle, Dundonald Castle, Burns Cottage, Grand Central Hotel, Edinburgh Castle, Marr Hall, World Pipeband Championships and many more venues.

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

Iain MacFadyen and Kenny MacDonald, two of my piping tutors.

What is the most high profile gig you've performed?

I played for the beginning of Britain’s Got Talent, filmed on October 2018 and aired on April or May 2019.

Musicianship

Genres:

Folk, Classical, Traditional Scottish folk

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Instruments:

Bagpipes

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Event types:

Wedding, Wedding proposal, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Corporate event, Burns night, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve

See all event types

Other skills:

Fluent improviser, Instrumental teaching, Fluent sight-reader, Theory teaching

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