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.

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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.

Encore badges

Lightning fast responses

Average response time under 2 hours

Saved the day!

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

Most booked musician of 2021!

Member of the Encore community forum

Most booked in region, 2022

Top 10 booked musician of 2022

6th Anniversary

This act has been working with Encore for over 6 years

100 gigs

Legendary: 100 bookings through Encore!

Musicianship

Genres:

Folk, Classical, Traditional Scottish folk

See all genres

Instruments:

Bagpipes

See all instruments

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

See all skills

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

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.

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

Gary

5 out of 5

81 verified reviews

Satisfaction

5.0

Professionalism

5.0

Communication

5.0

Punctuality

5.0

Gary's Reviews

5 out of 5

Gary was fantastic on our big day! He was professional but also put me at ease as I got ready to walk down the aisle and made sure myself and wedding party were all ok :).

Reply from Gary

11 days ago

Thanks Nikki, I thoroughly enjoyed playing at your wedding. A fantastic venue and everyone was so friendly. I wish you and Stuart all the best for the future.

5 out of 5

Gary was just the best. We are so delighted to have booked him for our wedding, and we couldn't be more happy with everything. He was very kind, prompt, professional from start to finish, and communicated fantastically to make sure everything was streamlined for the big day. We simply couldn't have asked for anyone better. Thank you so much, Gary, for everything once again, and we would 100% recommend!

Reply from Gary

1 month ago

Thank you Francheska. I thoroughly enjoyed playing at this beautiful venue. I’m glad I could help to add a bit of Scottish tradition on your wedding day. Your family and friends were so friendly. I wish you and Isaiah all the best for the future.

5 out of 5

Gary was amazing, would recommend to anyone. Great guy

Reply from Gary

1 month ago

Thanks Julie, it was a pleasure to play at your wedding. Lovely venue and a nice, friendly group of friends and family. I wish you and Kamil all the best for the future.

5 out of 5

Gary was brilliant! Turned up in advance of the time and everyone really loved him. Very polite, well mannered and responded to enquiries very quickly. Would love to use this man again in future for other events.

Reply from Gary

1 month ago

Thanks Suzannah, I really enjoyed playing at your wedding. It was a lovely venue and everyone was so friendly. I wish you and Darren all the best for the future.

Read all 71 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