Ten Reasons to Hire a Vancouver Bagpiper

  The bagpipes are a versatile instrument that can impact many occasions. For example…

1. Birthday and surprise parties: “Happy birthday” on the bagpipes is a sure-fire way to make your birthday memorable…to you and all your guests. It’s well worth the look on the guest of honour’s face when the piper walks in.
2. Weddings: Marching in the bride, groom, wedding party in or out of the church, marching in the wedding party to the reception or even playing the first waltz. It adds that memorable moment that makes great photos and leaves a lasting impression.
3. Funerals and memorials: The piping world is full of absolutely beautiful pipe tunes that often bring a tear to the eye and foster deep reminisces of a loved one. Amazing Grace and Danny Boy are popular, but there are so many others.

4   Graduations and Commencements: A very fitting way to commemorate the end of a long academic program with a piper leading in graduates to a hall filled with proud family and friends.

5.   St. Patrick’s Day: It may be a Scottish instrument, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a piper at your St. Patrick’s Day celebration.  Marching in, playing jigs, reels and hornpipes.  Little else can fire up a crowd than a piper marching in and playing a few tunes.

6.   Head Tables: Make it official, and have a piper lead your honoured guests through

the crowd. As everyone stands and claps, the piper delivers the guests-of-honour to the head table with pomp and fanfare. The pipes can also formally announce the beginning of the dinner, inviting everyone to take their places.

7.  Golf Tournaments & Curling bonspiels: March teams onto the ice, march the winners to the platform: celebrate great Scottish games with a great Scottish instrument.

8. Ceilidh’s (a Scottish kitchen-type party). Invite a couple of pipers, a piano player and other musicians, settle into the kitchen and let hours of music & fun begin.

9.  Arrivals and Departures:  Arriving at the airport or train station? Your winning sports team returning from overseas? An aunt or uncle arriving? A piper can lead in the guests or march them out to the train or plane. A memorable way to say hello or goodbye

10.  New Year’s Eve: It doesn’t get much better than marching in to a party playing Auld Lang Syng then lighting up the pub, bar or home with march’s, strathspey’s and reels.

(Bonus idea)

11.  Robbie Burns Suppers:  A proper Robert Burns supper is simply not complete  without a piper.  The evening’s highest bit of pomp is when the chef, carrying the haggis, follows the piper as he plays “A Man’s a Man for A That”.

There are few other instruments as versatile as the great highland bagpipe. From funerals to parties and everything in between; a well-played bagpipe can bring joy, sadness, melancholy and remembrance. It is truly an instrument for all-seasons.