Past Events

Festival Performances, April-June 2022

Oscar West, Geoff Jones, Sarah Wade, Merran Moir, Matt Horsely, Sam Davies, Jess Foot, Rhys Crimmin, Connor Hoy, Flora Carbo. See more here.


Spring Piping Program, online, September-November 2021

Oscar West, Chris Norman, Hamish Moore, Louise Mulcahy, Bagpipe Orchestra, Trivia


International Uilleann Piping Day, online, November 2020

Mickie Smyth


Jimmy's Gift video concert premiere, November 2020

Murray Blair, Jack Brennan, McBlues Band, Geoff Jones, Matthew Horsely, Merran Moir, Donald Blair, Witches' Leap, Ray Smith, Andrew Ford, Alisdair MacLaren, Sarah Wade


Online piping workshops, May-September, 2020

Matthew Horsely, Geoff Jones, Merran Moir


Boxwood  Australia Festival smallpipes workshops in Queenscliff, February 2020

Tim Cummings


Workshops and Concerts across Australia and New Zealand, January 2020

Brighde Chaimbeul & Jamie Murphy


International Uilleann Piping Day, October 2019

The Last Jar


Goldfields Piping Weekend in Castlemaine, August 2019

Craig Fisher & Pat Lyons


National Celtic Festival in Portarlington, June 2019

St John's Church, Wine Bar, Session @ The Grand


Piping Weekend in Ross, Tasmania, March 2019

Geoff Jones & Matthew Horsley


International Uilleann Piping Day, Exford Hotel Melbourne, October 2018


Boxwood Australia Festival smallpipes workshops in Brisbane & Adelaide, October 2018

Chris Norman


Turning Wave Festival in Yass, September 2018

Pat Lyons, Connor Hoy, Geoff Jones, Sarah Wade, more


Goldfields Piping Weekend in Castlemaine, August 2018

Andy Rigby, Jenny Newcombe, Angus Barbary


National Celtic Festival in Portarlington, June 2018

Senior Citizen's Centre


Boxwood Australia Festival smallpipes workshops in Queenscliff, February 2018

Chris Norman


International Uilleann Piping Day, Exford Hotel Melbourne, October 2017

Elvin Moynagh, Sam Davies, Piotr Nowotnik


Goldfields Piping Weekend in Castlemaine, August 2017

Matthew Manchester


National Celtic Festival in Portarlington, June 2017


Lost Trades Fair presentation in Kyneton, March 2017


International Uilleann Piping Day, Exford Hotel Melbourne, November 2016

Matthew Horsely, Pat Lyons history of uilleann pipers in Australia


Boxwood Australia Festival smallpipes workshops in Queenscliff, November 2016

David Greenberg


Goldfields Piping Weekend in Maryborough, August 2016

Matthew Horsley


Lost Trades Fair presentation in Kyneton, March 2016


Boxwood Australia Festival smallpipes workshops in Queenscliff, November 2015

David Greenberg


Piping Weekend in Talbot, August 2015

"The third Talbot weekend was the greatest success yet and has become the signature event of our young club." Colin MacDougall. Special guest Bill Hart travelled with his wife from northern Sydney to demonstrate and display his crafts. Bill demonstrated 18 different sets of bellows and mouth-blown pipes from across the world (many of which he made himself) and delivered an insightfull overview to all facets of pipe-making. The weekend attracted 22 people from Vic, SA, NSW & ACT for displays, theory workshops, sessions, a performance soiree and great after-dark tunes in the cellar.


Workshops at National Folk Festival in Canberra, April 2015


The Rolling Wave by Matt Horsely, February 2015

Having recently returned from three months of intensive lessons with master piper Mikie Smyth in Limerick, Ireland, Matt presented a solo concert as a finale to his JUMP Mentoring programme grant from the Australia Council for the Arts. Matt performed a programme of old and new music for uilleann pipes including world premiere Barbaric Yawp by Jeanette Little, Australian premiere Five Etudes for Uilleann Pipes no. 3 - Polymeric Chorale by Dave Flynn and his own composition titled wheelspin.


Piping Weekend in Talbot, August 2014

For the second year running, sixteen players of Uilleann Pipes and Scottish Smallpipes travelled from as far as Gippsland, Yackandandah and Adelaide to immerse themselves in a weekend of piping. Highlights of the weekend included a drone reed making workshop with Pat Lyons, demonstrations to two school groups, a Saturday evening 'soiree' for the locals at Bryce's Bistrot and plenty playing and discussion about pipes.


Concert, session and lecture at the National Celtic Festival in Portarlington, Vic, June 2014

The Celtic Piping Club popped up in varous places at the National Celtic Festival 2014. Some highlights included the playing of the border pipes by special guest Ali Levak from Feis Ros at the Saturday afternoon concert and a resounding rendition of the Fox Hunter's Chase in uilleann pipes by Nic Martin at the Saturday night session.

 

Piping Weekend and Concert in Talbot, August 2013

Sixteen pipers and partners came together for a fun and friendly weekend of piping in the historic gold rush village, Talbot, just south of Maryborough Victoria. The focus of the weekend was a workshop by James Rigby on the connection between songs and pipe-tunes and also the presentation of a concert to a local audience at the Talbot Town Hall, co-presented with the Taliska Trio. Although the weather outside was cold and raining, the hall was filled with the warmth of the pipe music and dancing in the aisles.

Talbot to host Celtic Concert - article in The Maryborough District Advertiser 26 July 2013.


Launch of the Celtic Piping Club, Portarlington, June 2013

The official launch of the Celtic Piping Club was held at the National Celtic Festival on Saturday 8 June 2013 at St John's Church, Portarlington. A selection of pipers presented a varied programme, showcasing a wide variety of pipes and playing styles.


Scottish Smallpipes Workshops in Warrnambool, April 2013

Part of the South West Coast Piper Drummer Workshops, this weekend included workshops, performance, brunch and a session.


Piping in Central Victoria, January 2013

A full week of Uilleann pipe workshops with Pat Lyons at the Celtic Southern Cross Summer School followed by a small pipers gathering at the Newstead Live! Folk Festival.


Smallpipes session at Maldon Folk Festival, November 2012

Seven Scottish smallpipers gathered at the crossroads for 2.5 hours of tunes at the 2012 Maldon Folk Festival.


Castlemaine Pipers' Weekend, October 2012

This was a pilot project for the forming of the Celtic Piping Club. This weekend brought pipers 'out of the woodwork' for a friendly and inspiring weekend of sharing tunes, knowledge and laughs. Click here for the event website. Click here to download the report of the weekend.