Traditional West Coast Highland Fiddler and Piper from The Isle of Skye
Séamus Ó Baoighill
Traditional Scottish Music
Séamus Ó Baoighill hails from The Isle of Skye on the West Coast of Scotland where he has spent most of his youth honing his skills on both the Fiddle and Bagpipes.
Séamus began playing at the age of 8 and was the youngest member to have entered Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd by age 11, under the instruction of Iain MacFarlane and Iain MacFadyen.
Biography
Fiddle, pipes and whistle are all just part of daily culture on the Isle of Skye where I’ve grown up. It’s a tradition that affects a lot of people’s lives whether playing, dancing or just simply enjoying listening. The community is very inclusive and welcoming. Instruments are taught at primary school and there are traditional music sessions in the local bars where the musicians are very encouraging; it was at such a session where I was first introduced to the idea of actually playing the music – I was 8 years old. One of the older fiddlers had been watching me … watching him. He told my father “ the boy can have a few tunes with me if he wants ? ”… and that’s how I got involved ! Most Wednesday and Thursday nights I would race home from primary school, eat while doing my homework and be in bed for 4 o’clock, so that I would be up and ready for a 9.30pm start in that evenings music session.
I took up piping shortly after the fiddle in my local primary school and still have not decided which one I like more! After a few years of playing I took private lessons from Iain MacFadyen and found lessons through Iain MacFarlane when I joined Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd. Its been a real privilege learning from them and they have helped me so much in developing my own style of traditional music.
Musical Highlights:
- Youngest member to have entered Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd (National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music)
- Supporting Anne Lorne Gillies at Sabhal Mor Ostaig Gaelic College
- Performing at the University of Limerick, Irish World Academy of Music
- Playing in Hong Kong at the Rugby Sevens Tournament
- 2014 Summer tour of the Highlands with Feis an Earraich
- Selected for the senior National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland (NYPBOS) at age 12
- Playing at the Switzerland tattoo in Basel with the NYPBOS
- Performing at Celtic Connections with the NYPBOS
- Arranging and performing live with my former trio, at Perth Concert Hall
- Winning the Northern Meeting (under 15’s) at age 11
- National Piping Centre Junior Champion 2014
- Winning the Piobaireach at Cowal Highland Gathering 2013
- Piobaireach recital at Piping Live (Young Stars)
Social Media
View Seamus’s Videos on YouTube