Born in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, Uilleann Piper and whistle player Eamonn Dillon has toured and recorded both as a solo artist and with a varied group of performers, touring shows and bands.

Working between the U.S., Canada and Europe ,he has performed and recorded as a featured artist in both traditional, theatrical and mixed genre ensembles including Needfire, John McDermott (The Irish Tenors), Celtic Bridge, Sarah Packiam, Paloma Faith and King James, among others.

He first learned the tin whistle from his father, and from Tara Diamond before getting his first set of Uilleann Pipes made by the great master Sean McAloon, who mentored Eamonn while he was first starting out.

Eamonn is currently in pre-production on his new solo CD, featuring his sister, acclaimed fiddle player Roisin Dillon of Cherish the Ladies, and other guest musicians and vocalists.

Annie grew up in the Highlands. Music played a large part in her formative years, and she began learning to play the bagpipes at the tender age of ten. Music Festivals and close harmonies with her four siblings gave her a solid grounding in singing and her wasted youth was spent marching up and down Fort William High Street with the Lochaber Junior Pipe band.

During her four years at Glasgow School of Art, she joined her first band, The Gunsmoke Trio and Pedro, achieving fame as buskers of great volume, outside M&S in Argyle Street. The Mighty Peelly Wally Ceilidh Band was her second group, which took up residency in the Vicky Bar. Then came the invitation to join a new band subsequently named Iron Horse.

Iron Horse became one of the acclaimed “new wave” folk bands of the nineties. The group was in huge demand, constantly touring and recording. They visited all corners of the world, headlining at major festivals including Vancouver Music Festival, Celtic Connections, and the Interceltique festival in Lorient. Annie’s voice became a feature of the band, as well as her ability to entertain audiences with her stories and infectious humour.

Musical projects with Iron Horse included the award-winning Voice of the Land (‘95) commissioned by the BBC, Stri (‘97) a collaborative fusion piece with the RSNO and tours with British Council projects in Central Asia. In 2002 Iron Horse collaborated with Sogdiana, the national orchestra of Uzbekistan, touring parts of the country, and producing a CD of the project.

Annie started to expand her musical horizons guesting on other albums with backing vocals or instrumentation. In 1998 she found herself surrounded by thirteen world music divas in the fantastic Female Factory show. Based in Amsterdam, this show toured Russia, Spain and Holland with a ten-piece band.

Other projects included Scottish Women 2001/2002, commissioned by Celtic Connections. Annie is also a member of the Scottish big band The Unusual Suspects, who were formed in Celtic connections 2003. This 22- piece band will be touring nationally again, in the autumn of 2005.

After Iron Horse retired in 2001, Annie’s acting ambitions came to fruition, and she performed in the award winning Accidental Death of an Accordionist (theatrecollective@highland), subsequently appearing in The Celtic Story (Wildcat 2001), The Wedding (theatrecollective@highland 2002), Homers (Traverse theatre 2002), the hugely popular Mum’s the Word (R.C. Kelly productions 2003), Miniatures (theatrecollective@highland 2004), her first one-woman show Poker Alice (Play, pie and a pint series, 2004) and Story Nation, four plays in four days! (Dumfries and Galloway Arts 2005).

In February 2004, Annie released her solo debut album Take me out drinking tonight to an overwhelming response, including a 5 star review in the Sunday Herald. The album, a sparkling collection of contemporary and traditional material, shows Annie at her mature and confident best, living up to her reputation as a superb singer and exponent of the whistle.

Lorraine attended fiddle classes in the old Pipers Club in Thomas Street. Her first tuition came from Tom Glackin (of the well known traditional musical family). She was involved at Fleadh's in solo, group performances and Ceílí Bands over the years. Lorraine has performed and taught at several traditional music summer schools including Boston Gaelic Roots, Willie Clancy Summer School and the Joe Mooney School in Drumshambo. She currently performs and teaches music on a regular basis with uilleann piper Kevin Rowsome both in Ireland and abroad. Lorraine featured on the C.D. "The Rowsome Tradition" with Kevin Rowsome. Kevin and Lorraine are currently working on a fiddle and uilleann pipes duet album.

Whilst a student in Dunedin, New Zealand Dan played pipes, bouzouki and banjo and sang in the Irish band Blackthorn. More recently he has been half of several musical duos in the Europe area including Musion with Chris Wright, The ASBO Duo with Cammy Robson in Edinburgh and The Boussens Which Project with Franck Delieuvin in Toulouse. He also occasionally plays with the Edinburgh based, Salsa Celtica, and the Puy Laurence based, Gartloney Rats and Doolin. In 1999, along with Jon Bews, Cameron Robson and Gavin Marwick Dan helped to form the Scottish trad power band Cantrip towards which much of his musical energy is focused

Besides playing for concerts Dan has been quite a successful dance piper and has performed for both Scottish Highland and Country dancing. Together with Jon Bews and pianist James Gray he has played for country dances and ceilidhs throughout Scotland and Europe either under the name Rantin’, Rovin’, Reelin’ or Captain Horne & His Hardened Seamen depending on the company and the occasion.

When not on the road or in the air Dan divides his time between Scotland and Marshfield, Vermont where he teaches Bagpipes at Vermont Institute of Celtic Arts.

Patrick has recorded with TIP Splinter, Loreena McKennit, Oliver Schroer, the Revels, and the Barra MacNeills. He holds a Doctorate in ethnomusicology from Brown University in Providence where he is a sound recordings librarian and visiting professor of music.

Well known as an insightful and generous teacher, Benedict is also an engaging if low-key performer and will be at the Pipers' Gathering along with his wife, harper Hilari Farrington. 

Benedict and Hilari live in East Montpelier, Vermont where Benedict, in association with David Quinn, makes and restores Uilleann pipes.

His past experience includes film and television work, and performances in the orchestral pieces "Orkney Wedding with Sunrise" (Maxwell-Davies) and "Celtic Requiem" (Tavener), Burns Nights at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, and folk festivals in England, Belgium and Germany. Over the years he has played in a variety of bands, including pipe bands and folk bands, performing in both dance and concert settings. 

Ian has won medals at competitions for his performance of highland, half-long and Northumbrian pipes and has won the Northumbrian Pipers Society Competitions "Overseas Class" for the past three years.

In 1998 he produced his own recording, "The Empty Trough", which gives an excellent sample of the differing bagpipes of Britain and Ireland. In addition he has appeared on a number of other CDs including "A Zero Ore" by the Italian folk rock band Ned Ludd, the movie soundtrack of "Monk Dawson" and "Boomshamarocka" by the Maryland based Fabulous Potato Heads Rhythm and Blues Ceili Band with whom Ian played in the last eight months of the bands existence.

In addition to competing as a solo piper, Iain has also been involved in many other aspects of Celtic music. He has founded two Highland Pipe Bands in Vermont and has played with several folk groups. Iain’s solo album, Rooted in Tradition and his Christmas Album, Celtic Christmas, are sold in many areas of the country. Iain has also published a collection of original tunes for the bagpipe.

After completing his Masters of Education at the University of Vermont in 1997, Iain applied his education in a way that his professors never would have imagined. He began to develop the Vermont Institute of Piping. Iain’s goal is to develop this school into one similar to the College of Piping in Prince Edward Island. Iain holds the senior certificate and the teaching certificate from the College of Piping, PEI. He currently works as Vermont’s only full-time piping instructor. In addition to his approximately 60 solo students, Iain also teaches group and band workshops.

Since that time he's worked as a producer and presenter with BBC Scotland. Musically, the pipes have taken him to a period playing and recording with the Tannahill Weavers (1985 to 1990), and more recent collaborations with Billy Ross, Billy Jackson and Stuart Morison in the groups Smalltalk and Ossian. Iain's album Tryst, which features Scottish smallpipes, was released in 1999.

[BBC Scotland's weekly pipe music program, Pipeline, is now streamed to the internet. Simply access the BBC site on <http://www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland>

Information on the program is contained in the program selector panel. Pipeline is broadcast at 20-00 GMT each Saturday.]

In recent years, Jim’s attention has turned to teaching, publishing and performing. His 1992 he made a solo CD – Volume 10 in Lismor Recordings’ World’s Greatest Pipers collection. His tutor and companion CD, Rhythmic Fingerwork, published in 1998, became an immediate bestseller and set a new standard for piping tutors. It is now in its fifth printing. His two instructional videos, Pipes Ready and Pipes Up were released in 2000 and 2001 respectively and have attracted attention from pipers worldwide.

Due to the social, political and religious history of this country much of the rich, colourful diversity of piping culture has been tragically lost and Hamish has been at the fore-front of a renaissance promoting a pre-military style of piping. This has been achieved principally through his integrated approach to teaching, where the music is taught through the medium of Gaelic song and as part of the old step dance rhythms.

Creative inspiration and musical director of the Ceolas summer school in South Uist. Founder of many piping schools in Scotland and USA, most notably with Matt Buckley in Richmond, Vermont. Principal tutor of Scottish Small Pipes at the Gaelic College in Cape Breton 1992 -96.

Fin is gaining a great reputation as a teacher of pipes having just completed his third summer season of teaching at the Gaelic College in Cape Breton. He has also taught at the Lowland and Border Pipers Society annual teaching weekend in Melrose in the Scottish Borders.

He has now performed at the Celtic Connection Festival in Glasgow, Celtic Colours in Cape Breton and the Edinburgh International Festival. This year he was invited by the internationally renowned Cape Breton band, SLÀINTE MHATH,  to tour with them for two months in Scandinavia.

Jimmy's recording career began as one of seven contributors to an album of young pipers. This recording (The Pipers' Rock) is now considered a classic. As a member of the group Scullion he recorded on their first album and also with James Kelly on his album The Ring Sessions. In December 1996 he released a solo recording entitled Seán Reid's Favourite. This recording features a selection of favorite tunes played on two very old sets of pipes; one pitched in D and the other in B. The title comes from a tune named (by Willie Clancy) after Seán Reid (1907-1978) who very kindly gave James the old B set of Colgan pipes on loan for life. A track from this CD (Dark Lochnagar), was selected by the actor Ewen McGregor, as his all-time favorite, on an English radio program last year.

Having completed a BA in Music at Waterford Regional Technical College Jimmy began giving workshops, tutorials and lectures in Irish traditional music at W.R.T.C (now W.I.T.) in September 1992 and worked there for a number of years on a part-time basis.

He occasionally lectures at the University of Limerick where he is writing up his Ph.D. on the music of Paddy Conneely, the blind piper of Galway (c.1800 – 1851).

Jimmy is also working on a book about piper and collector, Séamus Ennis, with Pat Mitchell (author of 'The Dance Music of Willie Clancy' and 'The Pipering of Patsy Touhey') which is due for publication in October 2003.

Jimmy’s piping has taken him around Europe as well as to New Zealand and of course, the USA. Most recently he was invited to play for St. Patrick’s Day, in the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean. Some like it hot!

Jerry O'Sullivan has been widely hailed as America's premier uilleann piper. His reputation for technical and melodic mastery of the instrument, an Irish bagpipe known for its subtlety and expression, is unsurpassed in the United States, and is demanding considerable attention overseas. Jerry is also widely recorded on the tin whistle, the low whistle, the Highland bagpipes, and the Scottish smallpipes.

Jerry has appeared on more than 90 albums and has performed or recorded with artists such as The Boston Pops, Don Henley, Paul Winter, James Galway, Dolly Parton, The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, The Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Eileen Ivers, and many others. He was a featured soloist on Paul Winter's GRAMMY winning album, Celtic Solstice (Living Music, 1999). His first two solo albums, The Gift (Shanachie,1998), and The Invasion (Green Linnet, 1987) have both received critical acclaim, quickly finding their way to the top of a number of "best albums of the year" lists. Jerry has just recently released a new solo album, O'Sullivan Meets O'Farrell (Jerry O'Sullivan Music, 2005), which features music from the 200 year old O'Farrell tutor and tune collections. Jerry has also recorded a number of film soundtracks including From Shore to Shore, The Long Journey Home, Far and Away, Africans in America, and Out of Ireland, and has appeared on numerous television commercials.

Jerry has toured extensively in the United States and Europe and has even played as far afield as Japan and Israel. He has been a featured performer and instructor in numerous Folk Festivals, including: the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the Milwaukee Irish Festival, the Catskills Irish Arts Week in East Durham, Boston's Gaelic Roots Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the National Council for Traditional Arts National Folk Festival, and the Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, North Carolina. He has performed at such reputable venues as New York's Lincoln Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and on the mall in Washington D.C. His symphonic concerts have included selections from John Williams Far and Away (performed and recorded with the Boston Pops), O'Sullivan's March from Rob Roy, Main Title Theme from Braveheart (both performed and recorded with the Boston Pops) Patrick Cassidy's The Famine Symphony (performed at the world debut at St. Patrick's Cathedral), Paul Winter's Pipes Peace (performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra), and excerpts from Titanic (performed with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra).
Born in New York City to an Irish-American mother and a father from Dublin, Ireland, Jerry first learned to play the Scottish highland pipes. During summer visits to family in Dublin, he learned the uilleann pipes from listening and asking questions to experienced players such as Peter Carberry, Matt Kiernan, Dan Dowd, Peter McKenna, Fergus Finnegan, Mick O'Brien, Gay McKeon, and others. In New York, uilleann piper Bill Ochs was a major help and inspiration to Jerry.

Jerry O'Sullivan is a gifted ambassador of the Irish uilleann pipes, maintaining the historic traditions and melodies of the instrument while expanding its range into new genres of music and media. His mastery of the instrument, traditional knowledge, versatility, and dedication to education truly make him America's premier uilleann piper.

Chris acquired his first set, made by an amateur maker, on his fifteenth birthday, and set out to emulate the prominent pipers of the Twentieth Century. Formal tuition was difficult to come by, so he relied upon careful study of the classic recordings of the pipes and the mentorship of Anthony Robb. Within three years of taking up the instrument he became a regular Open competition winner.

In 1979 Chris left Tyneside to study at Liverpool University. Northumbrian musicians being scarce on Merseyside, he began to participate in the thriving Irish music scene. This was not without its challenges, and he had to find means of incorporating the gracings essential to Irish music without compromising the characteristic closed fingering of the small pipes. His inclusion in a compilation recording of Irish musicians in North-West England is testimony to his success in this area! Chris also took the opportunity to learn the Highland pipes (with one eye on becoming a Border piper!), playing with the Liverpool Irish Pipe Band. Having completed his B.Sc. he trained as an occupational therapist and practiced in Chester until his return to Tyneside in 1989.

During the 1980s Chris maintained his interest in the classic piping repertoire in general, and the music of Tom Clough in particular. In 1986 he met Clough’s son, himself a piper, and was able to increase his knowledge of the family and their music. In 1987 he recorded a CD of Clough’s music; sadly this was never released.

Nowadays Chris is sought after as a piping tutor and has taught and performed in the USA, Canada, Europe and throughout the United Kingdom. In 2000 he was invited to perform at the Edinburgh Festival. He has appeared on numerous CDs and has played alongside musicians as diverse as rock star Peter Gabriel and Paddy Keenan of the Bothy Band. He did, eventually, become a player of Border pipes and Scottish small pipes, and has recently taken up the uilleann pipes. When not performing solo he can be heard playing for dancing with the Border Directors Ceilidh Band. Chris is currently recording a solo CD due for release in Summer 2003.

Teachers

Attended regular lessons with the renowned Piper Tommy Kearney. Further tuition was taken with well-known Pipers Jimmy O’Brien Moran and MacDara MacDoncha.

Influences

Influences on playing include Felix Doran, Seamus Ennis, Leo Rowsome and Patsy Touhy.

Competition

1st prize in the Senior All-Ireland and coveted Oireachtas Piping competitions in 1992.

Further Activity

• Irish Representative Uilleann Piper at the Lorient Interceltic Festival, 1993.
• Piper with Liam Clancy’s (Clancy Brothers, Makem & Clancy) 7-member ‘Fairweather Band’ in the early 90’s.
• Piper with ‘Gorumna’, a 5-member band also comprising fiddle, flute, melodeon and Sean-Nós singer - tour Japan in 1994.
• Tour of Asia, concerts in Sardinia and a number of appearances and concerts in Brittany as a Duet with flute-player Ciarán Somers. Joint-appearance in concert in Brittany with accordion player Tony MacMahon.
• Radio and television appearances, including pioneering Music/Discussion series ‘The Blackbird and the Bell’, ‘Geantraí’ – Traditional Irish Music series, regular contributor on Radio na Gaeltachta, the Irish language Radio Station.
• Researched, compiled, edited and produced a substantial recording and historical biography of Mentor Tommy Kearney (NPU Masters Series Vol II) for commercial release in February 2003.
• Has given regular tuition to Uilleann Pipes students in Ireland. One student is a three times winner of the All-Ireland Piping Competition.
• Invited to present a 2-day Seminar to students of the Uilleann Pipes in Lorient, Brittany in March 2003.
• Performed at Uilleann Piping Showcase Concert of Willie Clancy Summer Festival, Milltown Malbay, Co. Clare, July 2003.
  

Future

Moved to New Jersey in November 2003 USA to further music career.

She was a founding member of the popular group Kitty's Kitchen and now plays with Tara Nova, another popular Toronto based traditional group. Deborah has performed with Symphony Orchestras, recorded sound tracks for television shows and specials, regularly leads sessions in the Toronto area, has performed on CBC radio as well as on CDs with other musicians and has made numerous live solo appearances. She is a regular organizer of and performer in the annual Chris Langan Traditional Weekend in Toronto.

Debbie has taught pipes, reed making and whistle at various festivals including the Irish Arts Week in the Catskills, the Barrie Celtic Gathering, at the North American Comhaltas Convention, The Pipers' Gathering in North Hero, Vermont as well as the Chris Langan Weekend. She was a presenter at the Celtic Women's International Convention in Milwaukee. She also teaches the pipes and whistle privately in her own home.

1. Solo instrumentalist/vocalist/actor: arts centres, festivals, radio, television, recordings (French and English traditional music, new compositions).
2. Collaborative performer: with Simon Poulter (computer art), Diana Winkfield (interactive art), Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart / Deep Space (world music, dub-reggae/ambient-trance), The Albion Band (folk-rock), The Cock & Bull Band (folk dance-fusion), Les Fêtes Galantes, Folies Bergères (baroque-folk), Gabriel Yacoub (new and traditional French music), Ex-Cathedra, Palladian Ensemble, Chalemie (baroque/Commedia dell’Arte), Tractatus, ParallèlesMatthew Spring and Sara Stowe (contemporary), Trading Faces (mime/mask).
3. Musical Director: theatre, special events, Dance & drones records.
4. Composer/arranger/writer: commissioned, performed and recorded works, radio programmes, playwright.
5. Researcher/publisher: French and English Folk, Popular and Early music for drone instruments.
   

RESUME

1999-2003:

• Research for edition, translation and publication of 17th century manuscript: “Jean de la Mer”.
• Commissioned to translate and edit “Jouer de la Cornemuse” method, published.
• Participates in Jah Wobble’s film score for “Furie”, official French entry to Berlin film Festival, Digital Library soundtrack “The Sound of Jah Wobble”, and in Holly Valance’s international song and video hit “Kiss Kiss”.
• Commissioned to write and perform new music for the International Arts Symposium, Milton Keynes.
• Participates in the soundtrack of Channel 4’s sitcom ‘Monarch of the Glen’.

1998-2003:

• Participates in six CD recordings, and tours internationally with Jah Wobble & Deep Space, including two American tours, Music Festivals in Greece, Turkey, Spain and Belgium, Eclipse and London Contemporary Music Festivals, Tate Library’s William Blake Celebrations.

1998-2000:

• Commissioned to complete the French entry in The Rough Guide to World Music.
• Participates in the soundtrack of Channel 4’s programme ‘Century Road’.
• Commissioned to write French folk entry in the new edition of The Groves Dictionary of Musicians.
• Solo performance selected for the International Art Symposium, Kaunas, Lithuania.
• Commissioned to write new music for Simon Poulter’s multimedia exhibition, Brighton festival.
• Commissioned to research, write, compose for and participate in five radio programmes for BBC Radio 3 “Singing the Goat, Secret Music of the Auvergne”, selected for Sony awards.
• With Monica Huggett’s Ensemble Sonnerie world premiere of “Noël, Noël”, London Wigmore Hall.

1997-1998:

• World premiere of “Cornemusiques, Extraordinary Story of the Pipes’, South Bank Centre, London, original music and text commissioned by BBC Radio 3.
• Commissioned to write new music for Diana Winkfield’s Exhibition ‘Revealing & Concealing’, Milton Keynes Exhibition Gallery and Cable Street Gallery, London.
• With The Palladian Ensemble, first complete recording of Nicolas Chédeville’s “Les Saisons Amusantes”, Baroque chamber arrangements of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” for drone instruments.
• Creation of promotions, record and publication company Dance & drones and ensemble Parallèles to explore and promote Early, Folk and Contemporary music.
• Awarded Arts Council Research and Development grant with computer artist Simon Poulter to create audio-visual interactive CD Rom and multimedia performances of philosopher Wittgenstein’s ‘Tractatus’. Premiere of pilot project for The Old Library Gallery, Bridport.

1996-2003:

• Participates in five CD recordings, and tours internationally with Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart including World Music Festivals in Greece, Japan and Belgium, The Hague Jazz Festival, London, Brighton and Trowbridge International Music Festivals.

1996-98:

• With Folies Bergères, research, arrangements and performance of first modern recreation of 18th Century French 12th Night celebration, Wigmore Hall, London.
• Recording and broadcast of programme “Cornemusiques, Extraordinary Story of the Pipes” commissioned by BBC Radio 3, followed by Canadian solo performing tour.
• Solo and joint recording for Ex Cathedra Baroque orchestra and choir of French Baroque Christmas programme, and first performance, Birmingham Symphony Hall.
• New drone music selected for Art-PR exhibition ‘Counter Marketing’, Fabrica Gallery, Brighton and Hull Time-based Art.
• New music for drone instruments commissioned for the Dance'n Drone festival, South Bank Centre, London.
• With Chalemie, co-researcher, arranger and performer of 3 semi-staged Baroque dance-musical dramas, premiered at the Purcell Rooms, London. National Early Music Network-sponsored tour.

1994-95:

• Musical director of Tercentenary Celebration, Stony-Stratford. Composer, arranger, musician-in-residence, public performances with over 200 performers over 5 weeks.
• With Folies Bergères, Early Music Network tour sponsored by the Arts Council of Great-Britain, live broadcast recordings for BBC Radio 3 ‘Music Restored’ programme, featured on BBC Radio 4 ‘Kaleidoscope’ programme.
• Musical director, composer and performer for Stantonbury Campus Theatre, Milton Keynes, new production of Shakespeare’s “Tempest”, sponsored by Southern Arts.
• Selected as solo performer by Ex Cathedra Baroque orchestra and choir for the first world semi-staged revival of Lully’s 1677 opera “Isis”.

1993:

• Solo performer at Edinburgh International Festival of own music-theatre creation “Cornemusiques”, sponsored by the Commission for New Towns. Live recording selected by BBC Radio Scotland for their ‘Best of the Fringe’ programme:“The Usual Suspect”.
• Musician-in-residence, performer and organiser of concerts, and masterclass at ‘Ashington Eurofest’, for Folkworks, Northumberland, sponsored by Northern Arts.
• Composer, workshop leader and musical director of new creations for the mime/theatre company Trading Faces,
• Organiser, composer and arranger of performances as part of the ‘Bucks in Europe’ European Arts Festival.

1992-94:

• Release of solo recording “Cornemusiques” CD/Cassette.
• Solo performer at Lincoln, Sheffield, Harwich, and High Wycombe's European Arts Festivals.
• Solo and group performer at the Garden Festival Wales, Ebbw Vale and Beverley Festival,
• Edinburgh International Festival andBritish Council-sponsored performance at the European Brosella ‘92 Festival with Cock & Bull Band,
• Extensive duo tours ot the U.S.A., Canada, Holland, Belgium and the U.K. with Gabriel Yacoub of French Folk-rock group Malicorne.

1991-95:

• Musician and co-arranger for the Brunton Theatre Company’s Edinburgh International Festival Production of “The Bruce”.
• British Council-sponsored Baroque music festival, Tarentaise, France with Les Fêtes Galantes, Southern Arts-sponsored tour with ethnic dance-fusion group Cock & Bull Band.
• Musical director and co-performer of five plays based on the National Theatre productions of Tony Harrison’s “The Mysteries” cycle and Flora Thompson’s “Lark Rise” series for Stantonbury Campus Drama Group, Milton-Keynes. Composer and arranger of all the incidental music. Subsequently issued on four CDs, cassettes and LP.
• Throughout France, Belgium and Canada, over 250 performances of Music-theatre solo production “Cornemusiques” as performer, composer, arranger and writer. Audience of over 10,000 over four years.

1990-92:

• BBC Radio 4 special solo ‘Kaleidoscope’ programme selected for ‘Pick of the Week’ and BBC World Service: “Chant, drone and bellows, the real sounds of France”.
• Solo performer for Folkworks, National Garden Festival, Gateshead.
• Studies Baroque music at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama under Stephen Preston.

1988-92:

• Commissioned to write new music for Interaction Milton Keynes, sponsored by Milton Keynes Development Corporation, subsequently issued on three CDs and cassettes with The Cock & Bull Band.
• Solo and group performer and lecturer for John Dankworth and Cleo Lane’s “Stables Easter Music Courses", Wavendon Allmusic Plan, Bucks.
• Solo lecture-recital British tours for the Alliance Française, French Foreign Office-sponsored.
• Winner of Northumbrian Pipers Competition, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, selected for “Look North” television appearance.

1982-84:

• Composer, researcher, arranger and performer with The Albion Band. All major festivals and many radio and television appearances in Great-Britain and Europe, featured on six CDs/LPs/Cassettes.

1978-2003:

• Founder member, researcher, arranger and composer with The Cock & Bull Band. All major British folk festivals, many live appearances on BBC Radio 2, recorded nine CDs/LPs/Cassettes.

1967-71:

• Trained as a recorder player.
• B. A. in English, M. A. in English: Social Aspects of the Folk Music of England, Tours University, France.
• Research into French and English traditional music.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY:

• Jean-Pierre Rasle: Cornemusiques, Celtic Music/ Dance&drones Records.
• With Folies Bergères: Pastorales, Ensemble Music Label.
• With Chalemie: A Hotchpotch Pantomime, Dance&drones Records.
• With Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart: / Deep Space: The Celtic Poets, Full Moon Over the Shopping Mall, Molam Dub, Soundtrack to the Film Furie, English Roots Music/ Beach Fervour Spare, Largely Live in Hartlepool and Manchester, Five Beat, 30Hertz Records, The 30 Hertz Collection, Meta Records.
• With The Cock & Bull Band: Encore du Vin(gt), Pumped Up and Loaded, Mrs Casey Records, Below the Belt, A Cock and Bull Story, C&B Records, Concrete Routes, Sacred Cows, Jali House Rock, Rogue Records, Tap Roots, Froots Records, Eyes Closed and Rocking, All Buttoned Up, Topic Records The Mysteries, C&B Records.
• With The Albion Band / Ashley Hutchings: Light Shining, Albino/ Rillenschlange/ Sharrow Records, Shuffle Off, Spindrift Records, BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert, Windsong Records /-The Guv'nor’s Big Birthday Bash, The Guv'nor Vol I and Vol IV, Albino Records.
• For Jah Wobble: Umbra Sumus, Mount Zion, The Five-Tone Dragon, Deep Space, Shout at the Devil, Fly, 30Hertz Records, The Sound of Jah Wobble, Digital Library soundtrack.
• For Holly Valance: Kiss Kiss, Linn Records.
• For The Palladian Ensemble: Les Saisons Amusantes, Linn Records.
• For Ex-Cathedra: A Baroque Christmas, Records
• For Gabriel Yacoub / and Marc Robine: Quatre, Chantons Sous La Truie Records / Anthologie de la Chanson Française -La Chanson Traditionnelle, EPM Records 14 CDs + 1 book.
• For Marillion: Seasons' End and A Singles Collection, EMI Records.

Kevin cites the main influences on his uilleann pipe style as pipers Leon Rowsome, Leo Rowsome, Johnny Doran and Seamus Ennis. The music of many fiddle players including Liam Rowsome and Tommy Potts have also played a strong role in his musical development.

Kevin first gained public recognition when he won prizes at the Oireachtas festival, and is widely regarded as one of today's finest uilleann pipers. Kevin has vast experience as a performer and instructor of the uilleann pipes. He has performed extensively throughout Europe and the USA and has been staff instructor at a number of Irish music festivals, including the Willie Clancy summer school, Milltown Malbay, Co Clare Ireland, Gaelic Roots Festival - Boston Mass. U.S.A. and the Augusta Festival in Elkins, West Virginia, U.S.A.

At present Kevin performs frequently in Ireland, Europe and USA, solo and as a duo with fiddle player Lorraine Hickey who comes from the renowned Sligo flute playing Preston family.

Some relevant triadic relationships

My friend and mentor Chris Ormston has written of the triad of Instrument, Player and Music. What is important to notice is that these three belong to different Worlds, yet they come together synergetically in the Act of Music. The philosopher and Teacher J G Bennett distinguished between the Worlds of Function, Being and Will, and I believe Chris‚ triad corresponds exactly to these worlds. Another triad which is useful to contemplate is Information, Knowledge and Understanding. Although the same 'information-stuff'‚ is involved in all three, it only takes a few moments‚ reflection to see how different they are.

So why mention this here and now? Simply because I wish to try something different at the Pipers Gathering this year. Rather than arriving with a bunch of tunes, discussing them and having everyone play them - which is all very fine as far as it goes - I should like us to engage with the Intelligence of the Music itself.

This has a chance of being meaningful if those who are planning to participate give some attention in advance to what they want from the classes. To this end I have begun a thread on the bobdunsire.com forums, "Pipers Gathering Border Pipes Classes" in the "Uilleann, Northumbrian, Smallpipes+" category. There has been some good input already, but I'm still waiting for the burning questions which will ignite the passion of the participants.

Meanwhile, here is a rerun of a previously broadcast programme:

History, Mystery and Mastery
A Manifesto for Border Piping

This is a partially revised version of the talk given at the 1997 Collogue of the Lowland & Border Pipers' Society at the Green Tree, Peebles, although only the first two parts of the talk were delivered on that occasion.

History

History is important to any tradition. It is the foundation on which the present expression of that tradition is built. The present in turn can be seen as a nodal point in the Greater Present Moment which includes the future as well as the past. The potentialities of the future may or may not be realised in time, but it is the possibility of a future revival of the Border piping tradition which makes our meeting in Peebles today - All Souls Day 1997 - significant to this Tradition. If nothing comes of our collogue we merely provide a curious footnote to the history of late 20^th century piping.

History tells us that in the recent past there was a tradition of Border piping. At present it is difficult to discern exactly what may have been the differences between Border piping and Lowland piping, so I will speak specifically of the Border tradition as exemplified by William Dixon's collection. Border piping must not be thought of as Scottish, neither must it be thought of as English or even Northumbrian. The obvious reality of the Border tradition is that it takes in both sides of the Border, and to deny this is to deny the significance of the Border as an ACTIVE SURFACE with its attendant frictions, exchanges of energy and transformations of substance. It may of course be convenient for some vested interests to regard the musical tradition recorded by William Dixon as English or Northumbrian because of its geographical origin, but if we had no other English or Northumbrian music at all we would still be able to recognise over half of William's tunes as Scottish, including some which were never recorded as pipe tunes north of the Border. What William's tunes are not, of course, is Highland, and here we note that even when he has tunes which also exist in Highland tradition the style in which they are played is radically different. There can be no doubt of this: the first serious attempt to notate Highland pipe music (Joseph MacDonald, c. 1760) concentrates almost exclusively on idiomatic specifics of Highland pipe music which have no place in William Dixon's book, and the anecdotal evidence that it took a Lowland piper seven years to become a master of the Highland style confirms that these idiomatic specifics had no place in the more southern tradition.

The style of William's music is roughly speaking - and with important reservations - the same style as that of the Northumbrian smallpipe music of the same period, but what present day Scottish musicians do not often realise is that there are many instances of the same style recorded north of the Border. Although these are usually preserved as fiddle texts their scale and idiom are recognisably those of the Border pipes. Many examples could be cited, and the handful given as contextual tunes in The Master Piper show that William's book does not come from another planet. It ties in with what we know or can learn about both Northumbrian smallpipe music and Scottish examples of Border pipe music, as well as mainstream Scottish Lowland fiddling from the same era, particularly as exemplified by David Young's masterworks. Almost everything inside William Dixon's book has some reference to something outside it, BUT it is the only collection we know which deals exclusively with Border pipe music, and it does this in great depth.

Mystery

The latter half of the 18^th century witnessed growing literacy in the three surviving traditions. It is therefore all the more surprising that a tradition which did NOT survive should become literate well before the others, and that it should then remain hidden until 1995. Depending on how we look at the world, this is the random result of chance happenings, or a highly intelligent long-term survival strategy entailing a heroic act of faith - or unimaginably detailed planning based on precise foreknowledge of the future. Hazard and Providence, as opposing poles of our experience, are exemplified in the episode of the book's escape from destruction and its subsequent history of misunderstanding. If the book is what I believe it to be - a record of a Border Piper's repertoire - it is the more remarkable in that all the evidence suggests that it is a repertoire in the peak of its condition and at the height of its creativity.

One big mystery is the identity of William Dixon. Whatever we may or may not learn about him he is remarkable in being a literate piper before the age of literate pipers. He is unknown to the anecdotal tradition of piping but there can be little doubt but that he was a Master of his Art. I cannot imagine a non-piper having the motivation to record such a substantial repertoire or the skill to notate it so accurately. Also, although idiosyncratic, his musical literacy is completely adequate for his purposes, and he probably made fewer mistakes in his whole book than I did in transcribing it. We can only guess at the personal cost of the labour which his great work entailed. What meaning did it have for him? I have no other explanation than that he felt that he was serving the music and serving the future in performing this task.

Another aspect of the mystery of William Dixon is the meaning of his work today. It self-evidently has a place within the musical ecology of these islands. It is part of the spectrum of traditional music which is in turn part of the greater world of the music of the whole planet. It is related to the rest of the rainbow by its position within it, but necessarily distinct from all the other colours. As a part of the whole it is worthy of our generous consideration. Whether it has individual meaning for me, for you, for us, is not something to analyse, but if, through our own affinities and desires, if we do seek the recovery of this tradition, we are in a more fortunate position than we could have hoped for. Quite simply, we have had the apparatus, now we have the information.

This brings us to
Mastery

Apparatus and information do not give rise to mastery any more than a car and a Highway code make a decent driver. There is no simple recipe for mastery, but we do know some of the ingredients: motivation and intelligence - love and understanding - are needed, together with the practical know-how which only comes from the often frustrating experience of trial and error in the real world. Here we include research still to be undertaken on the behaviour of the Border pipes which survive from the 18^th century - precise information about consistency or variation of fingering between instruments is still lacking. But the immediate task for those who are attracted to this tradition is to engage in a mutual exchange of energy and information. At some stage a more substantial commitment in time will be required for purposes of consolidation if the Tradition is to become more than a pastime for a handful of individuals.

None of the existing pedagogical structures of the piping world is equipped to deal with the information in the William Dixon manuscript, and to pretend that it can be adequately served by the old structures is to misunderstand it utterly. Nothing less than a new discipline of Border piping is needed, a discipline which addresses the specifics of the music and its instrument on the one hand and the needs and capacities of the player on the other. New structures need to emerge to embody this discipline, which must be an ongoing process of threefold attunement. Tuning the pipes is not enough. The music must be in tune with its own unfolding story. Crucially, the piper must be in tune, with himself or herself and with the Intelligence of the music.

The challenge is not to make the Border tradition accessible or acceptable to those who have no need of it, but to encourage, educate and train those who have no choice but to become Border pipers. I do not assume that a revival is inevitable, but the conditions are now more favourable than at any time since the Tradition disappeared from view. We may trust that however unexpectedly it behaves the Tradition knows its own needs and is working on its own timescale. As I have previously written, I am not looking for converts, and my intuition is that Border piping needs no converts - it knows its own.

Current publications include The Gathering of the Clans Collection, (1990). A well researched historical/musical work on Nova Scotia pipers and pipe music that is now in its third printing with sales worldwide. The Cape Breton Collection of Bagpipe Music, (1995), and in 2001, The Gathering of the Clans Collection, Vol. Two.  This is a companion collection to Volume One and offers an historical essay on Nova Scotia community pipers, pipe makers, and pipers in the army. The book contains 137 tunes and 8 pages of historical notes on the tunes, their composers and arrangers. 

The CDs and books may be ordered directly from Barry.

Published Articles include:

Bagpipe Makers in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, 1807-1920. August, 1996, Piper & Drummer Magazine, Ontario

The MacKays of Gairloch, The Canadian Connection. August, 1997, Piper & Drummer Magazine, Ontario.

Pipe Music For Stepdancing. June/July 1987, The Clansman, Halifax, N.S.

Piping Families in 19th Century Cape Breton. February 1988, The Clansman, Halifax,N.S.

Pipers of The North British Society, June/July 1991, The Clansman, Halifax, N.S.