Nancy Tunnicliffe - Bagpiper

I am a professional bagpiper, teacher, and performer. I play a variety of programs and events, and especially enjoy taking the bagpipe outside of its usual boundaries and venues. I have appeared as a guest soloist with many of the country’s top orchestras, such as the Boston Pops with John Williams, the National Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, and the American Symphony at Carnegie Hall.

My academic background includes a BA from Yale University and an MA in World Music from Wesleyan University. I am a sought-after teacher and a certified adjudicator of all levels of bagpipe competition, as well as a workshop leader. My specialty is Piobaireachd, the classical music of the Highland pipe, a theme and variations style of music which had its heyday from the 15th to 18th centuries.

I have made more than 100 television appearances in support of Scottish traditions, and have piped by request aboard Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Yacht Britannia. I especially enjoy playing the bagpipe in school programs, as that’s how I first heard the instrument as a third-grader.

With more than 30 years of experience, I have a large repertoire of Scottish, Irish, and American selections for all occasions, and am happy to work with clients to accommodate special tune requests.