COMPOSER

“The most amazing whistle player and genius composer…a completely beautiful and inspirational album from start to finish…a masterpiece.”

BBC Radio Lancashire

“[The River] is a beautifully composed album…enjoyably complex in its musical structure."

Northern Sky

Hamish also well known as a gifted tunesmith and has been performed live and recorded by top musicians and groups:

Duncan Chisholm, Blazin' Fiddles, Benedict Morris, Imar, Talisk, Simon Thoumire & Iain Carr, Còig and Inveraray & District Pipe Band.

Hamish's New Voices commission The River for the Celtic Connections festival received 4 and 5-star reviews in four national publications. The piece was released as a highly-regarded debut solo album and named Album of the Week on four BBC folk radio shows in Scotland, Shetland, Lancashire and Ulster.

Testimonials

  • DUNCAN CHISHOLM

    "There is no doubt that Hamish Napier is a real creative force. This creativity is coupled with an organised, knowledgable and structured way of writing. He is highly skilled with the ability to take melody lines and carefully craft them, moving and arranging harmonically until a completed tune is born. As such his compositions are always unique, stylish and contemporary."

  • ROB HALL

    "Hamish's albums are beautifully conceived and played, a real exhibition of his distinctive, compositional approach which contemporises the Scottish tradition with a wider vision that absorbs blues, rock, classical, cinematic, jazz and more besides. I hope his music gets the recognition it deserves."

HAMISH’s Compositions played by …

Full List of Compositions, Co-WRITES, Soundtracks, PRODUCTIONS & Commissions

  • The Mayfly & Spey Cast - Catch the Image (2017) - 2 short video soundtracks for two short films by 'Catch the Image' (Simon J Ward).

  • The River - Hamish Napier (2016). Scots Trad Music Awards ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2016 NOMINEE. First solo album featuring 14 new compositions commissioned by, and premiered at, Celtic Connections Festival ‘New Voices’ series. Piece for 4 Scottish wooden flutes and rhythm section. MD for 8-piece band. 5-star review in The Scotsman. Performed at Perth Royal Concert Hall and Isle of Man Celtfest.

  • Remembering - Ross Ainslie (2015) - cowriting songs with piper Ross Ainslie for his Celtic Connections New Voices piece (and resulting solo album) ‘Remembering’.

  • Ned Maddrell’s Whispers - Scran & Hamish Napier (2016). Piece commissioned by Culture Vannin, performed by youth band Scran for Isle of Man Trad Fest.

  • Somhairle - NITEWORKS (2016). A collaborative composition with Skye-based electronic band NITEWORKS, featuring the poetry of Somhairle Maclean.

  • Grantown 250th Anniversary - Findlay Napier, Hamish Napier & Fraser Stone (2015). 2 new compositions commissioned by the Grantown Society to celebrate 250th anniversary of town Grantown-on-Spey, with Findlay Napier and Fraser Stone.

  • Ceol Mor Big Band (2013,14,15). Several new compositions for trad music big band at Aberdeen International Music Festival. Performed at Aberdeen Music Hall at which I conducted 70 young musicians in a set featuring North East Folk Collective, Ceol Mor and the North Shore Celtic Ensemble (Canada). With David Francis (The Cast), researched and arranged a programme of new and trad music themed on the North East of Scotland, performed at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen and at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for Celtic Connections 2015.

  • Tunes for All Time - Celtic Colours Festival (2014). Various pieces for Celtic Colors Festival new folk tune commission (with Kimberly Fraser, Rachel Davis, Darren McMullen, Adam Sutherland and Colin Grant).

  • 'Nae Plans' Tour of Scotland - Hamish Napier & Adam Sutherland (2014), Creative Scotland. View Culloden Moor composition film here.

  • Lament for John McGann - Hamish Napier (2013). String quintet performed by Mr McFall’s Chamber at the DISTIL Showcase 2013, Stirling Tolbooth.

  • David - Hamish Napier (2011) String quintet performed by Mr McFall’s Chamber at the DISTIL Showcase 2011, Stirling Tolbooth.

Commission Me

Many people have commissioned me compose tunes as gifts for friend or loved one, or to mark a special occasions for a family or community. 
Please email me and we can chat about what kind of tune would work best, and your budget.

Listen to recorded track - above

See right for gift card I.O.U. letter and final complete score.

"Special thanks to Hamish for composing "Giant Sequoia” for my husband Steve’s birthday. It was an honour to add a bonus track to the fabulous album “The Woods”. Hamish dedicates so much background research time and commitment to his commissions that the resulting musical interpretation really captures the theme. Social distancing due to Covid 19 didn’t stop the recording and final mixing of this piece with multiple contributors, so many thanks to all for their time and skills. With live performances cancelled, investing in a new piece commission is a rewarding way to support musicians during these challenging times.

If you are considering a commission, stop hesitating, just go ahead and do it, Hamish will deliver outstanding results."

Gill Martin, Commissioned a tune as a gift for her husband in April 2020.

Listen to recorded track - see left.

See below for Gift Card Letter and final complete score.

Large-Scale Commissions

I have been commissioned to write large-scale works from a number of organisations including: Celtic Connections, Cairngorms Connect,
Grantown 250 Festival, Isle of Man Celt Fest and IMBOLC Festival Londonderry. 

If your festival or community project is interested in commissioning a piece/tune please don't hesitate to email me and we can chat about it.

Some segments from my large commissioned works:

The Woods - a piece commissioned by Cairngorms Connect in 2019.

The Railway - a piece/album commissioned by Grantown East: Highland Heritage & Cultural Centre in 2017 as the soundtrack to their heritage exhibits.

The River - a piece commissioned by Celtic Connections in 2015 for their 'New Voices' series.