Bagpiper

Simon Addison Highland Piper

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(4.8)Read all 21 reviews
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About Simon

Pipe Sergeant Simon Addison. An established, highly-experienced, full-time professional piper with over 23 years of experience in the UK.
Bagpiper
Hereford
Public liability insurance of £1 million

There's nothing quite like the unique sight and sound of a traditional Highland Piper to add a distinctive touch to any special event. Playing to a high standard, Pipe Sergeant Simon is the leading bagpiper in Herefordshire and has been described as one of the best English pipers in the country. He travels throughout the UK and he can supply the tunes to make your occasion memorable. He is also the Appointed Piper to the City of Hereford and he has been established for over 20 years. Biography Simon Addison is a full-time, professional Highland Piper and he has been playing the Great Highland Bagpipe for over 20 years. Already an accomplished musicial, having trained as a classical trumpeter at the age of 12, Simon took up the pipes at the age of 19 and studied at the College of Piping in Glasgow as well as having personal tuition from a former Argyll and Sutherland piper, he has gone on to become a very talented and accomplished Highland Piper. He has recently been promoted to Pipe Sargeant for the Henllys Pipes and Drums in South Wales and in 2021, he was appointed Civic Piper to the City Of Hereford- an enormous honour! In great demand, Simon is available to perform for your special occasion and these include- Weddings/civil partnerships Funerals and memorial services Burns Night Birthdays and anniversaries Corporate entertainment Film/TV Armed Forces events Charity/fundraising events And anything where the sound of the pipes would make a unique and spectacular addition! Reliable, professional and immaculately turned out, Simon has a long and established pedigree of solo piping and he is constantly in demand. As a solo and band piper, he has piped nationally and overseas including performing at Les Transhumances Musicales in the South of France. References and testimonials can be supplied and Simon holds full PLI.

Encore badges
5 gigs
Experienced: 5 bookings through Encore
Saved the day!
Booked for an Encore gig with less than 24 hours’ notice
Encore expert
Demonstrated expertise by completing the Encore Academy
Member of the Encore community forum
Musicianship
Genres:
Military, Scottish music, Traditional Scottish folk
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Instruments:
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Event types:
Funeral / Memorial service, Wedding, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Theatre / Show, Concert, Charity event, Corporate event, Private event, Burns night, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve, Wedding proposal, Recording session, Cruise
See all event types
Other skills:
Composer, Actor, Instrumental teaching
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Simon's Song list

These are just some of my current repertoire with more tunes being added all the time.
10 HLI Crossing The Rhine
100 Pipers
51st Highland Division
A Man's a Man for a' that
Abide With Me
Amazing Grace
Arbenn
Atholl Highlanders
Auld Lang Syne
Balmoral
Balmoral/My Land
Battle Of The Somme
Battle's O'er
Black Bear
Bonnie Dundee
Bonnie Galloway
Bonnie Lass O Fyvie
Calon Lan
Castle Dangerous
Cock Of The North
Cockney Jocks
Collin's Cattle
Collins Cattle
Cork Hill
Cwm Rhondda
Diu Regnare
Earl Of Mansfield's March
Farewell To Aberdeen
Flee the Glen
Going Home
Green Hills of Tyrol
Haste To The Wedding
Hector The Hero
Heilan' Laddie
Highland Cathedral
Inisheer
Itchy Fingers Jig
Land Of My Fathers
Loch Tay Boat Song
Lochanside
Mairi's Wedding
Mingulay Boat Song
Mist Covered Mountains of Home
Morag Of Dunvegan
Mull Of Kintyre
Murdo's Wedding
My Home
My Land
O Laidh
O'er the Bows to Ballindalloch(Strathspey)
Oft In The Stilly Night
Orange and Blue(Strathspey)
Over The Bows To Ballandalloch
Padstow Farewell
Plant Un Chou
Prince Charles Welcome To Lochaber
Rakes Of Mallow
Rakes Of Mallow
Remembering Vimy
Road To Islay
Rocking The Baby
Rowan Tree
Salute To The Royal Fendersmith
Scotch and Cider
Scotch on the Rocks
Scotland The Brave
Scots Wha Hae
Sleep Dearie, Sleep
Strangest Dream
Suo Gan
Teribus
The Barren Rocks of Aden
The Barren Rocks of Aden
The Bells Of Dunblane
The Clumsy Lover
The Crags of Tumbledown Mountain
The Fair Maid of Barra
The garb Of Auld Gaul
The Hag At The Churn
The Heights of Dargai
The High Rise
The High Road To Gairloch
The Piper Of Drummond
The Roadmaker
The Siege of Hereford
The Steamboat
The Wye Invader
We're No Awa Tae Bide Awa
Westering Home
Wha' saw the 42nd
When The Battle's Over
When The Piper Plays
Wings
Customer questions

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

If timings change slightly in the run up to the event just let me know

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

No, I'm a live performer with no electronics or amplification

How much time do you need to set up?

At least 30 minutes to get kitted-up and to set up and tune my pipes

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

You may choose any tune for my list. If you have any special request, please let me know.

Do you bring all the equipment you need to perform?

I bring my own instruments with me.

Can you learn specific pieces before the event?

I need at least 2 weeks to learn a specific piece of music depending on complexity and if it's playable on the pipes.

Simon's Prices

Last updated: 2024

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

Standard Prices
Performance durationPrice
Short performance (up to 15 min)£187.50
Up to 1 hour£250
Up to 2 hours£375
Up to 3 hours£500
Packages
Wedding ceremony
This includes music before the service begins, music during the signing of the register, and music as guests leave.
£400
Simon
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4.8 out of 5
5 verified reviews
Satisfaction
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4.6
Professionalism
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5.0
Communication
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5.0
Punctuality
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4.6

Simon's Reviews

From Encore customers:

JA
Julie F
4 months ago
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4 out of 5

This was a surprise booking requested to commence at 5.30p.m. My husband bumped into him on the carpark at 5.15pm. We requested for him to play our guests arriving and to play between 5.30 an 6.30pm. Simon only played when guests were arriving and stood around not playing to entertain our guests if there was no guests arriving. We were disappointed with the entertainment quality. The piping was fatstic - would just have liked him to be more engaging and paying for our guests until the food was served. He did not allow himself sufficient set up time to permit him to play from 5.30pm and play the 60 min set as advertised.

Reply from Simon
4 months ago

I'm so sorry that you were a bit disappointed. I arrived in good time to get the pipes tuned up and ready. Plus, I had to compete with a DJ and a live band warming up inside the venue itself plus a large group of out-of control children running around the only free area where I could circulate and play. Unfortunately, I was in no position to have been able to stand outdoors and play due to the torrential rain.

IJ
Imogen J
5 months ago
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5 out of 5

Simon was wonderful. From his preparation for the event, calling me to find out more about what we wanted, to turning up well on time, to his performance and his overall professionalism. We loved it and send a huge thanks. would certainly book him again and heartily recommend.

FW
Faye W
7 months ago
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5 out of 5

Simon set the tone perfectly for our day! Our guests were stunned walking up to our venue with Simon playing away. It was the perfect way to honour the groom's Scottish heritage. We can't thank Simon enough!

FM
Francess M
8 months ago
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5 out of 5

Excellent

Read all 5 reviews

From other customers:

K
Karilyn
2 years ago

Fantastic piper. Hired for a formal event last year and from start to finish Simon was professional and engaging. He took on the information provided about the individual the event was for and tailored the music to suit. Would highly recommend Simon for any event. (10 / 10) Karilyn

J
Jenny
2 years ago

A great piper and such a lovely man too we booked him as a birthday surprise for my 90 yr old mum. When he came down the path to the house playing 'happy birthday' in his regalia, it made my mum's day! 100%! (9 / 10) Jenny

Read all 16 reviews