Piper Dave McMinn

Traditional Scottish Bagpiper

Hello, my name is Dave McMinn – I’m a traditional Scottish bagpiper, a born and bred Scotsman now living in Cardiff. I’m probably one of the very few true born and bred Scottish bagpipers living in South Wales. Here is your chance to have a true Scottish piper play the bagpipes for you and your guests.

Piper Dave McMinn

I’ve been playing the Highland Bagpipes for over 40 years. I was taught to play the bagpipes by Bill Clements and Pipe Major Hugh Drysdale whilst at Wallace Hall Academy school in Dumfriesshire, Scotland and was a member of Thornhill Pipe Band. After leaving school I joined the RAF and became a piper with RAF Lossimouth, RAF Leuchars and RAF St Athan Pipe Bands, During my time as a piper in these pipe bands I played in many competitions in Grades 3 and 4, with respectable result with many second places. In 1984 I had the privilege of piping at the Edinburgh Tattoo and in 1993 I was request to play again, but work commitments wouldn't allow. I later went on to join the Welsh Piping Society for many years. Over the years as a prominent piper in these Pipe Bands I played personally at many public engagements.

For the last 16 years I have concentrated on a solo piper, piping for many Weddings, Burns Nights, New Year Eve parties, Remembrance services, birthday parties and many other events. A number of the venues have requested appear for repeat performances over 14 years and more. In Feb 15 I was requested to appear playing the bagpipes on What’s Occurrin’ Cardiff? show for the Made Cardiff TV channel during the Six Nations.

The bagpipes make a great addition to your event whether it Scottish or not. My aim is to make your even more memorable and accommodate you bagpipe music requirements. I will discuss what you would like and give you example from my experience to help you decide what would be appropriate.

Here are some examples:

Bagpipes for your Wedding

• Arrival of the Bride at the ceremony
• Bride and Groom from the ceremony
• Guests arrive at function
• Background music for photos
• Bride and groom into Wedding Breakfast.

Bagpipes for your Burns Night

• Music to greet your guests as they arrive
• Pipe in the Haggis
• Pipe out the Haggis
• Enjoy some after dinner traditional Scottish and Walsh music.

Bagpiper for your New Year Eve party

• Music to greet your guests as they arrive
• Auld Lang Syne at midnight.

Bagpiper for other events to meet your requirements

I play well known traditional Scottish bagpipe music and a number of well known Welsh tunes, here are a few examples:

• Scotland the Brave
• Amazing Grace
• Flower of Scotland
• Highland Cathedral
• Danny Boy
• The Black Bear
• The Wild Rover
• A Man’s a Man for A’ That (pipe in the Haggis)
• Mhari’s Wedding
• Ald Lang Syne
• Land of My Fathers
• Calon Lan
• Men of Harlech
• And many more tunes.

Edinburgh Tattoo 1984 (I'm second from right)

Pipe Band Display Edinburgh Tattoo 1984