MY STORY · A LIFE IN SCOTTISH MUSIC
How the bagpipes became my life.
From a chance encounter in a hotel in Aberfeldy to a career that has taken me across Britain and around Europe.
One moment in Aberfeldy changed everything.
My mother was born in Aberdeenshire, and I grew up with lots of Scottish family around me. Scottish music was always part of my childhood. Whenever we went to Scotland and I saw a bagpiper, I could barely contain my excitement.
Then, during a family holiday in Aberfeldy, a piper came to perform at our hotel. He let me have a go on his bagpipes, and that was it. I was hooked. My parents bought me a practice chanter and found me a teacher.
What started as a boy’s fascination soon became a lifelong passion — and, eventually, my profession.
From those first notes to the big stage.
From practice chanter to public performances.
After about six months of lessons I joined the Seaforth Highlanders in Mansfield. Before long I was parading at public events around Nottinghamshire and playing at Asian weddings. It was a brilliant introduction to performing for all sorts of audiences.
I also started busking, mostly around Derby. Occasionally the local newspapers featured me, and people began asking me to play at their own events. Some early jobs were quite unusual: piping at Derby County football matches and even playing on the back of a moving truck promoting a nightclub as it drove around Derby at night!
Learning to play as part of something bigger.
I spent time with Nottingham Police Pipe Band and joined them on a trip to play at a beer festival in Germany’s Black Forest. That was my first real taste of travelling abroad with the pipes — something that would become a big part of my career.
I later joined Ashbourne Pipes and Drums, where I discovered pipe-band competition. We travelled to contests all over England and Scotland and enjoyed numerous successes. Competing pushed my playing forward enormously. After a break from pipe bands, I joined Manchester Phoenix and competed at the major championships.
Building a career, one booking at a time.
Alongside band life, more and more solo bookings began coming my way. I remember an early New Year’s Eve engagement at the Highwayman in Baslow, as well as Burns Night performances for Rolls-Royce in Derby. Soon, private clients and venues were getting in touch regularly.
Over the years I’ve played at thousands of occasions, from intimate gatherings to large public celebrations. What has always mattered most is choosing the right music and making the moment feel special for the people there.
Eight years teaching young soldiers.
One of the most rewarding chapters of my career was teaching bagpipes at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate. For around eight years I taught groups of junior soldiers, helping them build their technique, confidence and musicianship.
Teaching is still an important part of my life. I offer individual lessons for children and adults, both online and around Sheffield, and love seeing someone discover the instrument for themselves.
From Yorkshire to some remarkable places.
In more recent years I joined the Celtic rock band Gaelforce, performing at venues around the country and at the Costa Festival in Ibiza. It’s a completely different kind of energy from solo piping, and I love it.
My solo work has been just as varied. I’ve had the pleasure of performing for football figures including Sir Alex Ferguson and Steven Gerrard, and at special occasions involving the Flying Scotsman and the luxury Northern Belle train as passengers set off for Edinburgh.
The pipes have also taken me to golf events in Spain and destination weddings in Croatia, Slovenia, Spain and Portugal, among other places. I still find it extraordinary how far the instrument I first tried in that Aberfeldy hotel has travelled with me.
The people and traditions keep me playing.
I was fortunate to perform for three consecutive years at Sheffield’s much-loved Baldwin’s restaurant, where Burns Night was such a big occasion it was celebrated over an entire week. These days I also play for Burns Night at The Wee Dram in Bakewell, Derbyshire.
I’ve played for countless couples on their wedding days, and I still enjoy the excitement of a grand entrance just as much as I did when I was a young piper.
Funeral music is another important part of my work. I’ve built long-standing relationships with funeral directors who contact me when families would like bagpipes for a personal farewell. Being trusted at such a significant moment is something I never take lightly.
After all these years, it’s still a privilege to be invited to play. Every booking has its own story, and I do my best to give it the care it deserves.
Perhaps the next part of my story will be yours.
Whether you’re planning a celebration, looking for a piper or thinking of learning yourself, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
On stage with Gaelforce.
Alongside solo performances, I have played with Celtic folk-rock band Gaelforce at venues around the UK and at the Costa Festival in Ibiza. Here is a glimpse of that side of my musical life.
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