about glyn

About Glyn

From my the age of nine, bagpipes have been a massive part of my life. I’m originally from Kingussie in the Highlands, where I was initially taught the bagpipes by my school History teacher, David Taylor. With great encouragement (and selflessness!) from my parents and other family members I successfully competed in the bagpipe competitions at Highland Games all around Scotland and at pipe band competitions from a young age, as well as playing in traditional Scottish folk bands.

Playing the Sottish Small Pipes at a folk session

I moved to Edinburgh in 1996 to go to university, gaining a degree in Business and Information Technology. To be honest, I’m not too sure how I did this, given that studying and attending university often wasn’t “compatible” with the many piping related activities I had at the time, including a six month stay in in South Korea to promote Mackies Ice Cream! I’ve performed for many events all over Scotland and further afield such as Taiwan, Angola, China, Australia, New Zealand and throughout Europe.

I originally launched Scottish Bagpipers in 1998 when I was student. Sadly I didn’t keep it going after I took up a “sensible” job in IT (Boo!!). I was still doing a lot of piping though, employed by various music agencies and from word of mouth for weddings and events, and still playing at competitions with my pipe band.

Photo by Sacha @ Sacha in Scotland

Celebrant training

In February 2024, I successfully completed my training and passed my assessments to become an independent wedding celebrant. I can now create and officiate your elopement or vows renewal ceremony, as well as playing then bagpipes for you!

This idea started back in 2019, when Amy and Joel, a couple from Savannah, Georgia wanted me to play the pipes for their Vows Renewal in Edinburgh, but they were “open to suggestions” about what else should happen. After speaking them, what they actually wanted was symbolic Scottish wedding ceremony. Having attended countless weddings as a piper, I have a pretty good idea of what happens at Scottish weddings and some of the rituals involved, so I bit the bullet and volunteered my services to not only play the bagpipes, but officiate Amy and Joel’s ceremony too!

I’ve since officiated a number of similar wedding and vows renewal ceremonies which my couples have been really pleased with (read more on my Bagpiper Blog). However, I really wanted some guidance from some of the best in the business before regularly offering this service. A number of celebrants whom I’ve worked with at previous weddings, and whom I really like were trained by the Academy of Modern Celebrancy, so it was a no-brainer for me to do the same! I enrolled with AMC in 2023 and I’m proud to have become certified in February 2024.

Pipe Bands

The Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band

I played in the distinguished Vale of Atholl Pipe Band starting in the Novice band and progressing to the Grade 1 band. When living in New Zealand I played in the Grade 1 Manawatu Scottish Society Pipe Band, and gained several top 10 finishes in the finals of the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championships. I now play in the Grade 1 Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band, who are at the very top end of the pipe band world.

The Badenoch Pipe Band, my local band, at Ruthven Barracks outside Kingussie around 1991. I’m on the far left, and my dad’s in the middle holding the white bass drum sticks! This was from back in the days when many bands still wore the Full Highland Dress…

Marching on to take 9th place in Grade 1 at the 2005 World Pipe Band Champioships with the Manwatu Scottish Society Pipe Band, all the way from New Zealand.

Shinty

I took a four year break from pipe bands to play Shinty which I used to play in School. Traditionally very much a highland game, but it’s being taken up in the south of Scotland now too. Here I am playing for Aberdour Shinty Club in Fife.

Sadly in 2018 my age(!) hamstrings began to object, so that was my last season. In 2019 it was back to the Pipe Band World, having been accepted into the Grade 1 Fife Police Pipe Band.

My assistant

This is Seòras (Gaelic for George), a Belgian “Schipperke”. He particularly likes a wedding at a country estate, where he gets a walk during the time in-between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast. His favourite venues at the moment are Newhall Estate and Hopetoun House!