Chiff and Fipple Forums

I asked this on Dunsire with minimal response. How about you guys.....

Who are good performers/instructors on border pipes who are based in the US? Have you had classes with them or seen them perform or know them by reputation only?

Thanks and best wishes.

Steve

I don't know of any here in the Greater Los Angeles area. EDIT: I totally forgot about Jeff Cullen, who I believe plays a set made by Mark Cushing. I think he has other sets and/or chanters.

I've been involved in the Highland pipe and Scottish community here for 40 years, but offhand I can't think of anyone who plays Lowland/Border pipes.

I had a set early on- probably around 1978 or 1979- made by an eccentric Los Angeles pipemaker named Richard Maheu.

I still have his catalogue, entitled Bagpipes of All Kinds. And he means it. He made Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Hungarian, Italian, French, Northumbrian (Small and Half-long), Uilleann, Medieval, and Renaissance pipes, and a reproduction of the ancient Irish Warpipe.

I bought a set of his Northumbrian Half-long pipes, which were pretty much Lowland or Border pipes. I didn't get on with the fingering; he had copied a set in a museum somewhere and the chanter wouldn't work with Scottish Highland fingering. It required fingering like the Central French pipes or Galician pipes, with "E" played open etc. I sold the set after a year or so. I can't remember who I sold them to.

By 1980 he had moved to San Diego and gone from building bagpipes to building race cars, as I recall.

Steve,

The closest in my area (west coast ~ Portland) would be Micah Babinski, who plays with the band Dram & Go https://stumptownpiper.com/dram-and-go/ He plays a reel pipe, it looks and sounds very much like a border pipe. Most of the Highland pipers that I’ve seen, have played small pipes. Channing Dodson http://www.portlandpipes.com teaches Highland piping, Uilleann piping, and small pipes but I don’t think he plays the border pipes. I think Brad Angus http://bradanguspipes.myfreesites.net/ has made border pipes but basically makes uilleann pipes. There are several good uilleann pipers in the area, chief among them would be Preston Howard (https://soundcloud.com/preston-ohiomhair
The alternative piping in the area isn’t as well developed as on the east coast. If you hear of anything more do post it.

Tjones wrote: Most of the Highland pipers that I’ve seen, have played small pipes.

That's the way it is here.

You have the majority of Highland pipes who just play GHB.

Then a minority who also have a set of Scottish Smallpipes. What amuses me is that in the US Highland pipe world 99% of the pipers didn't know smallpipes existed until Gibson came out with their so-called "fireside" pipes. 9 times out of 10 if a Highland piper has a non-GHB it's one of those. This has led to "fireside pipes" becoming the general term here for smallpipes, which is annoying to me. I've had wedding coordinators tell me that only "fireside pipes" are allowed in their venues. Wow.

Then there are a number of GHB players who have taken up uilleann pipes.

But as far as "Border" pipes go, I can only think of Jeff.

Steve Bliven wrote:Who are good performers/instructors on border pipes who are based in the US?

Will Woodson:
http://willwoodsonmusic.com/
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=19378

(East coast too, Steve!)

Have you had classes with them or seen them perform or know them by reputation only?

Reputation (videos, CD etc.) only.

Steve Bliven wrote:I asked this on Dunsire with minimal response. How about you guys.....

Who are good performers/instructors on border pipes who are based in the US? Have you had classes with them or seen them perform or know them by reputation only?

Thanks and best wishes.

Steve

Hi Steve,

I'll second what pancelticpiper said about Jeff Cullen. As far as border pipes... If the border pipe you have is what I think it is... then the fingering is exactly the same as the highland bagpipe. If you've never played a border pipe or highland bagpipe before, and are looking to learn how to play, than a skilled highland piper can get you started, at least with the fingering and tune playing. If I've misunderstood, than I apologize. If you are familiar with the highland pipe fingering, but are not used to the bellows and such with a border pipe, than anyone familiar with the Scottish Smallpipes(actual smallpipes, not fireside pipes) can help you with both the fingering and the bellows as they are the same on both pipes. There is one exception though. The fingering on the border pipe will allow for some cross-fingering, or "illegal" notes. The Scottish smallpipes don't share this feature, but that's not a major concern, especially in the beginning.

I play both highland pipes and Scottish smallpipes(bellows, in the key of A). I was planning on a border pipe set this year, but finances may say otherwise. I'd be more than happy to discuss this further if you feel I may be of any help. Let me know.

Cheers!

Danny

Hi Steve

Have you tried the Lowland and Borders Piping Society, they might be able to point you in the right direction.

David

Maybe here too.
http://www.pipersgathering.org/2016-gathering/

Since Steve is involved with the Piper's Gathering, my guess is he's looking for new talent

Steve,

I had a few lessons with Will Woodson when he was still teaching out of Boston. I thought the handful of lessons were good but I could use some more and Maine is a little far to go regularly. If you find some one local I would like to know since I am only a couple towns over from you.

Andrew

I appreciate all the comments thus far (please keep them coming). I'm hoping to find a pocket of border pipers presently unknown to me. As TJones mentioned, I've been involved with the Pipers Gathering for a while and have seen all of the players of border pipes that have come through that venue. I'm just wondering if there are more out there. To this point only two or three names have surfaced. There must be more instructors/performers in the US.... (he says wonderingly).

Best wishes.

Steve

I'm sure that sooner or later the fact that McCallum is offering "Border" pipes will have an impact and increase the numbers, at least the numbers of good Highland pipers who dabble in "Border" pipes. Who knows? Some of these people might switch over to "the dark side".

Likewise, once McCallum gets a decently-working uilleann set in full production and in wide distribution, hundreds of Highland pipers all over the world, who would not previously dip their toe in the uilleann pool, will do so.

This is due to the common suspicion in the Highland pipe world of any maker who is not a known/popular/established Highland pipe maker.

They'll pass on an SSP by Colin Ross but queue up to buy SSPs by McCallum, Gibson, or other GHB makers.

They'll pass on uilleann pipe by Froment, Rogge, Preshaw etc but will beat down the doors for uilleann pipes by McCallum.

I'm sure that sooner or later the fact that McCallum is offering "Border" pipes will have an impact and increase the numbers, at least the numbers of good Highland pipers who dabble in "Border" pipes. Who knows? Some of these people might switch over to "the dark side".

Likewise, once McCallum gets a decently-working uilleann set in full production and in wide distribution, hundreds of Highland pipers all over the world, who would not previously dip their toe in the uilleann pool, will do so.

This is due to the common suspicion in the Highland pipe world of any maker who is not a known/popular/established Highland pipe maker.

They'll pass on an SSP by Colin Ross but queue up to buy SSPs by McCallum, Gibson, or other GHB makers.

They'll pass on uilleann pipe by Froment, Rogge, Preshaw etc but will beat down the doors for uilleann pipes by McCallum.