Helen Thomson

Classical & Celtic (Clarsach) Harpist

About Helen's Music

Music Genre:Classical, Popular and Traditional Scottish
Area Covered:Throughout Scotland

What Makes Helen Thomson Special?

Wide variety of music with classical being a particular specialty
Many popular and favourite pieces
Traditional Scottish and Celtic music
Harp and flute duo available - see Alba Duo
Professional wedding performer with many years experience
Options: Opt for harp and flute as a duo

Helen is a very popular freelance harpist in Scotland who works with a wide variety of different musical styles. She is equally at home performing at weddings as well as with professional and chamber orchestras. Plus, she performs in her flute and harp duo Alba. Helen also works with various singers and choirs and can easily adapt to other musicians you have at your wedding.

Helen can play during the ceremony or the reception, even during the reception meal which adds a wonderful and memorable touch. Music ranging from Scottish traditional, classical, light classics, popular, contemporary and folk.

Helen has performed and recorded with many of the leading orchestras in the UK and has successfully recorded 'The Peoples Mass' with the Dunedin Consort for Delphian Records.

Past experience has included a collaboration with Mezzo Soprano Taylor Wilson in the first performance of Five Chinese Odes and Lines from a Tomb of an Unknown Woman by John Rose for Mezzo Soprano and Harp. Also, performances at Glasgow University Chapel during the Musica Nova Festival and "The Swan" with Julian Lloyd Webber at Proms in the Park, Glasgow Green.

Helen Thomson began her harp studies with Sanchia Pielou, continuing with Eluned Pierce and Eira Lynn Jones at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She graduated DRSAMD (Teachers) in 1995, CPGS in 1996 and in 1997 she gained her Masters of Music Degree in Performance.

Helen performs and records with many of the major Orchestras in the United Kingdom and has appeared as a soloist with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Bach Consort and The Academy Strings. She appeared as the on-stage Harpist in Scottish Opera’s production of Smetana’s Dalibor, and was one of the four harpists performing in Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Helen has toured throughout Europe as well as China, Taiwan.

Sample Song List

Wedding Music:

Bach - Air on a G String, Arioso, Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Handel - Air and Hornpipe from Water Music, The Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba, Largo, March from 'Scipio'
Haydn - Air from 'Symphony No. 53'
Mendelssohn - Wedding March from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
Purcell - Trumpet Tune, Trumpet Voluntary
Wagner - Wedding March (Here Comes The Bride)

Classical:

Bach - Prelude No. 1
Debussy - The Maid with the Flaxen Hair
Elgar - Nimrod from 'The Enigma Variatons'
Faure - Berceuse from 'The Dolly Suite', Cantique de Jean Racine
Franck - Panis Angelicus
Glinka - Nocturne
Mascagni - Intermezzo from 'Cavalleria Rusticana'
Massenet - Thais Meditation
Meldelsohn - Nocturne from 'Midsummer Nights Dream', O for the Wings of a Dove
Offenbach - Barcarolle
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Rachmaninoff - Themes from the 2nd Piano Concerto
Saint-Saens - The Swan
Satie - Gymnopedie No. 1
Schubert - Ave Maria
Vivaldi - Largo (Winter) from 'The Four Seasons'
Music from the standard harp repertoire including pieces by Grandjany, Handel, Krumpoltz and Renie

Popular Music:

Ain't Misbehavin'
A Man and A Woman
A whole new World (from Aladdin)
Beauty and the Beast
Can't Help Falling in Love
Cavatina from 'The Deer Hunter'
Everybody Loves Somebody
For the Love of a princess (Braveheart Theme)
Gravity-Embrace
How do I Live
I don't want to miss a thing
If You love Me (Hymne a l'amour)
Long ago and Far Away
Love Changes Everything
Love is All Around
Memory
Moon River
My Funny Valentine
My Heart will go on
No Matter What
One Hand, One Heart
Over the Rainbow
Starry Starry Night
Theme from Ice Castles
To a Wild Rose
Top of the World
Unchained Melody
We have all the time in the world
Where is your Heart (Moulin Rouge)
Wind Beneath my wings
You're still the one

Folk Music:

Ae Fond Kiss
Afton Water
Athole Highlanders
Carolan's Concerto
Cearcall a' Chuain
Cro Chinn t-Saile
Danny Boy
Eleanor Plunket
Greensleeves
Highland Cathedral
Miss Rowan Davies
My Love is like a red red rose
Skye Boat song
The Fairy Queen
The Lark in the Clear Air
The Lea Rig
The Lure of the Sea Maiden
The silver moon my mistress is
The Trip we took over the mountains

Use Our Booking Service

You can book Helen Thomson using our very easy to use Booking Service. We provide an agreement for each booking so there are no misunderstandings. You get the very best deal and you're completely covered should something go wrong before your event or on the day.

Plus, we're always here to talk to you 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday) between 9am and 9pm. Just call us on 0141 561 1837 or email info@wedding-music-scotland.com.

Music Clips

Click on the 'play buttons' below to listen to music from Helen Thomson.

Harpist Helen Thomson:

Music clips coming soon!

Testimonials

'We just had to write you a short note to say thank you so much for playing your harp so beautifully at our wedding. I wish there had been time to have a chat with you personally but we were whisked off to have our photographs taken. The Warsaw Concerto is a very special piece of music to our family and it was my dad who first suggested to me. You played it absolutely brilliantly- thank you for taking the time to learn it. I'm not sure that a lot of our guests appreciated our choice of song but we loved it and were singing at the top of our voices to your accompaniment! Thank you again for making our ceremony so special.'

Helen and Paul Reilly, Cameron House

'Just a little note to thank you so much for providing the beautiful background music for our ladies events. It just wouldn't be the same without you! I do hope you can join us again next year.

Donna, Loch Lomond Golf Club

'Five weeks after our wedding at Borthwick and we just had to drop you a note. We have at last seen the video of our wonderful day including your duet with Lizzie (friend of the bride's) the flautist. It was absolutely beautiful, you played superbly together. Thank you so much again for sourcing the music. We hope you enjoyed being part of our wedding as much as Lizzie seemed to, our guests were so impressed and moved by the beauty of the sound of the harp and it was so different for everyone. We're so pleased we arranged a video cameraman. Having obviously missed your playing when we went to sign the register, we now have a record of it forever. Our sincere thanks again.'

Graeme and Sally Robertson

'Dear Helen Just a note to thank you very much for playing at our wedding on the 23rd June. It was just beautiful and all the guests remarked on how lovely the harp music was. Thanks again.

Alan & Lorna Fraser, Lovat Hotel, Perth

'Peter and I would like to say a sincere thank you for playing during our wedding breakfast last Friday at Kinloch House Hotel. Our guests commented at the pleasant change the harp made in place of the usual disco where no one can hear each other speak! You played lovely music on our special day, we had a wonderful time.

Peter and Lorraine