Smallpipes, Highland Pipes, and Guitar Workshops

Gary is a musician, academic and broadcaster who specializes in researching, teaching and performing the cultural traditions of Scotland. He spent 27 years as the Professor of Scottish Ethnology at the University of Edinburgh, and is in high demand as a lecturer, piper and singer. Originally from Pitlochry in Perthshire, Gary played with the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band, winning the Scottish and European Championships, and played for two seasons with the Grade 1 Glasgow Police Pipe Band. In addition to his work in music and media, Gary is a former Director of the European Ethnological Research Centre, a board member of Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland, and a board member of the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust. For many years, Gary has hosted Pipeline, a weekly program on BBC Radio Scotland. He has recently begun his own piping podcast called ‘Enjoy Your Piping.’

Ross is a founding member of Gaelic supergroup, Daimh, based in the Scottish Highlands. Beyond Daimh’s busy schedule, Ross has chalked up recording and touring credits with artists such as Julie Fowlis, Bonnie Prince Billy, Muireann Nic Aomhlaoibh, Karan Casey, Finlay MacDonald and the inimitable Vallely brothers from Armagh. Time at home is spent heavily involved in teaching the joys of traditional Scottish music to young people in the area through the Feisean movement and volunteering with the local Coastguard Search and Rescue team.

A native of Campbeltown, Kintyre, Willie received his main tuition from his uncles Ronald McCallum and Hugh A. McCallum and also came under the guidance of Ronald McCallum, MBE, Piper to The Duke of Argyll. The McCallum family can trace their piping back to John McAlister (Willie’s 4-times great-grandfather) who won the prize pipe in 1782 at the Falkirk Tryst. Willie’s development as a youngster included not only these formal family influences but the less tangible, equally important impressions made by countless visits to the Kintyre Piping Society. Here he heard all the experts of the era, including legends such as Donald MacLeod, Donald MacPherson, and John Burgess. Willie McCallum is one of the foremost competing pipers in the world today. He is in demand as a recitalist, adjudicator, and teacher. He has five solo recordings to his credit, in addition to his appearance on a number of compilation albums recorded live at recitals and competitions. In recent years, several of his students have gained high placings at the major piping gatherings at Oban, Inverness, and London. He also has long and successful pipe band experience and was a member of the Scottish Power Pipe Band winning three major championships.