Welcome to The Blend CD website!

The Blend CD is a unique project, combining the traditional music of the Highland bagpipe with the lyrical sound of the cello. The Blend features traditional bagpipe tunes, together with Celtic hymn tunes, arranged as bagpipe and cello duets, and it also includes the haunting Lament For The Children piobaireachd.

Recorded over a two-day session on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, The Blend CD is the music of bagpiper Roy Gunn and cellist Alex Averi.

Roy Gunn

New Zealand–born piper Roy Gunn, whose parents were both from Caithness, began playing the pipes at age five, and played in the Wellington College Band, the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Wellington Regiment, the City of Wellington Pipe Band, and the Wellington Police Pipe Band. At age 13, he began competing in New Zealand, and over many years he won various New Zealand Championship events, and the Comunn na Piobaireachd (New Zealand) Gold Medal.

In 1954, Roy received intensive tuition in piobaireachd from Pipe Major Donald MacLeod at Fort George. After a break from piping, he was prompted to begin competing again by Donald McLeod’s first visit to New Zealand in the late 1960s. Roy was 2nd in the Silver Medal at Inverness in 1979, and 4th in the Gold Medal at Inverness in 1985.

Roy has been active in teaching during his long piping career. When based in Wellington, he helped with tutoring the Scots College Pipe Band and the Wellington Police Pipe Band. He has served on the Committee of Comunn na Piobaireachd (NZ) and as President of the Wellington Pipers’ Club. Roy has judged in Scotland, Australia and New Zealand.

Since moving to Queensland, Australia in retirement, Roy has been active in Queensland piping circles. He is well known to pipers throughout the world, and is particularly respected for his playing of marches and piobaireachd. Roy has recently published Legendary and Historical Notes on Ceol Mor, a compilation of the origins and stories of the piobaireachd tunes that is recognised as a valuable contribution to piping literature.

Alex Averi

New Zealand-born cellist Alex Averi is the daughter of professional violinist Sandra Averi (Gunn), and is Roy Gunn’s niece. Alex has an AMusA (Cello) qualification, with a background of many years of cello studies and playing, in New Zealand and Australia.

Alex is a cello teacher in Brisbane, Australia, teaching in schools and in her private studio. As a freelance cellist, she plays in and manages two string quartets. Alex is principal cellist of the Redland Sinfonia in Brisbane, occasionally plays in other local Brisbane orchestras, and regularly performs with chamber music groups.

Having grown up with the rich Scottish music tradition of the Gunn family, Alex has keenly embraced the project of integrating the cello with Highland bagpipe music.

Purchase The Blend CD at:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/roygunnalexaveri

 

 

CONTACT US:

Email: alexaveri@netspace.net.au

 

The Blend CD	Roy Gunn - bagpipes
Alex Averi - cello