About
Pipers of Distinction is a bagpiper for hire in Sydney, NSW.
Piping is the day job here, not a sideline. Pipers of Distinction scale from a single piper at a graveside to a forty member pipe band, and the players hold G1 grading, the top competitive tier. Some have played the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The group puts in more than 300 Sydney performances a year, and also teaches and performs through Scotland, Cambodia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Japan and 27 cities across China. Mostly they turn up acoustic and need nothing at all. But there's an electronic set of pipes if you want them in a different key alongside other musicians, and they'll work to a backing track when a song calls for it. Weddings, funerals, corporate mornings, Celtic and Irish repertoire. Ask about a piece and they'll tell you straight whether it suits the pipes.
Watch
The show
They turn up on time, in proper dress, with your piece already learned. That last part matters more than it sounds. Ask for a specific tune and you'll get a straight answer about whether it actually suits the pipes, which saves everyone a disappointment on the day. The playing sits in the Celtic tradition and the standard is competitive grade. Whether it's one piper at a graveside or a large band leading people in, the preparation is the same.
On the day
Acoustic is the usual way, and it needs nothing at all from you. No power, no PA, no setup. Two other options exist when the job calls for them. Electronic pipes let them play in other keys alongside other musicians, which is handy if there's a band or a string group involved. And they'll play to their own modern backing track where a song wants one.
Performance options
A standard call out covers ninety minutes, which is enough for a ceremony, a reception entrance and a bit either side of both. Longer bookings are available and stretch as far as a full eight hour day, which is the arrangement that suits a large event, a recording session or a film cameo rather than a wedding. Say which of those you have in mind when you enquire and the length gets set to match.
Insurance and paperwork
Public liability insured
