Andrew Brian, Highland Bagpiper
About Me
Hi and welcome to my site. I am a professional bagpiper available to hire for any occasion including Weddings, Funerals, Parties, Dinner nights, Corporate events or any other celebration or event that requires a piper. I am fully insured and hold a current DBS.
I have been playing the bagpipes for over 30 years and started when I was 9 years old. I have had the privilege to travel all over the world and play at many events and functions. I offer an extensive range of tartan and uniform choices to suit any occasion.
Where it all started.
I had wanted to learn the bagpipes from the age of six and finally got the opportunity to start learning the bagpipes at nine years old with a local band. It was here that I was taught the basics and developed my passion for the Great Highland Bagpipe. I spent many happy years with this band learning my craft and travelling around the country to play with the band. At the age of Seventeen, I decided to join the army and I became a member of the world famous pipes and drums of the 1st Battalion The Black Watch.
Joining the Army.
During my time in the army I was lucky enough to travel all over the world playing with the band as well doing my day job as a soldier. I was extremely lucky to have chosen one of the army's premier pipe bands to serve with and received world class instruction from them which further developed my skills and abilities. As an army piper I was chosen to take part in many high profile events, the highlights of those events would be playing for the Royal family and various other international heads of state at official functions, the Edinburgh military tattoo, North American tour and the hand over of Hong Kong to name but a few. During my time as an Army piper, I passed the class 1 pipers course which was a prerequisite for being put forward for the army Pipe Majors course. Being an army piper in one of the worlds premier professional pipe bands gave me an excellent grounding in performing at many types of events and I believe my experience allows me to provide my clients with an unrivalled service.
The present.
Since leaving the Army I have continued to play at prestigious events both as a band member and as a solo professional piper. I have had the honour of being a Pipe Major with a number of bands, helping to organise and participate in events both at home and abroad. I regularly work with other professional bodies such as Funeral directors, Celebrants and Veterans groups.
My experiences from the age of nine allows me to confidently provide a professional service to any event type. Having experienced this high level of performance, I am able to offer a professional service from the standard of turn out to quality of playing for your event. I pride myself on providing a quality performance every time, I have a number of tartans in both full dress and less formal options. I am confident that whatever the occasion I can provide a performance to suit.
Below is a selection of some of the countries I have visited to play my pipes and some of the high profile events I have taken part in:-
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (1996, 1997, 1998, 2014)
Kenya (1996)
Tour of New Zealand (1997)
Piping for the Normandy veterans on their annual return to France (2012, 2013, 2014)
The Basel Tattoo (2015)
The Berlin Tattoo (2016, 2022)
The Malta Military Tattoo (2017)
Tour of North America (1995, 1998)
The Hong Kong Rugby sevens (1996)
The Hand over of Hong Kong (1997)
Kirklees Festival of Remembrance (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,2017, 2018, 2019, 2021)
Aden Veterans annual reunion (Since 2010 as the Aden Veterans national piper)
Countries I have played in:-
All over the UK
Northern Ireland
USA
Canada
Denmark
Germany
Hong Kong
New Zealand
Kenya
Malta
Switzerland
France
