The perfect way to honour someone special
Connect to generations of Scottish tradition - honour your family, past and present, or welcome your partner's heritage from the very first moment
The ultimate surprise for someone who loves Scotland - bagpipes for their birthday, anniversary, or retirement party
Say goodbye and "we love you" with centuries-old Scottish melodies
Browse my music and choose the tunes that resonate with you. If you hear something you love, I'll play it at your event. Your celebration, your soundtrack.
Get in touch to confirm availability and discuss your requirements
I'll arrive as planned, in full highland costume, play what you've requested, and stay flexible on the day
Explore the Scottish side of your family line, develop a unique skill, and build confidence through music
All you need to get started is a practice chanter and reed - an affordable first step at around $100-150. If you're not sure where to buy one, I can point you to reliable online retailers.
Bagpipes are hard to learn, but like any skill, it's achievable. It comes down to how much practice you put in.
You'll make the most progress if you practice every day, and I recommend weekly lessons so you can get feedback on your progress.
I'll provide sheet music and teach you to read it if needed - a transferable skill for any instrument.
You won't need actual bagpipes until you've mastered the basics on the practice chanter and can play a few tunes all the way through. That typically takes 6-12 months.
Here are some tunes you'll be playing within your first 6-12 months:
I provide lessons for children as young as 7 or 8 years old. If your child has Scottish ancestry, learning bagpipes is a way to explore that part of their family line.
Learning bagpipes offers benefits beyond the music itself. Playing develops intellectual and creative intelligence, builds coordination, and strengthens deep breathing skills - bagpipes are physically demanding in the best way.
The same learning path applies: starting with the practice chanter, learning to read music, and building skills gradually before moving to full bagpipes.
Children often learn quickly when they practice regularly. The key is making it part of their routine, ideally with daily practice at home and weekly lessons for guidance.
For beginners
Recommended once you reach a certain level of proficiency
Save when you commit to regular lessons
Lessons based in Waiuku
Hire a bagpiper to distinguish your ceremony or celebration - the sound carries over a distance, creating a memory that lasts for years
Choosing your wedding music matters, especially if you'll walk down the aisle to the sound of bagpipes playing. Pick a melody you love - ideally one your guests will recognise.
Avoid laments like "Amazing Grace" or "Lochaber No More." Instead, Scottish love songs work beautifully, especially those with well-known lyrics by Robbie Burns like "Ae Fond Kiss."
"Harken, My Love" and "My Love She's But a Lassie Yet" (another Burns song) were played on pipes at the royal wedding of Charles and Diana.
For birthdays, anniversaries and retirement parties, avoid laments and love songs - instead, choose upbeat, recognisable marches and dance tunes.
These traditional funeral tunes bring comfort and solemnity. The sound carries across the space, marking the significance of the moment. For families with Scottish roots, these are the same melodies that have said goodbye to loved ones for generations.
Found a tune you love on this page? Let me know when you book. If there's a melody you'd like that isn't listed, feel free to ask about it, as I might know it.
I'm based in South Auckland, but in the right circumstances I can travel for your event. Travel fees might apply.
Get in touch for events, lessons, or any queries
Phone: 021 090 494 01
Email: andrew@bagpiperforhire.co.nz
Facebook: [Link to be added]
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