Indian - Scottish Wedding | The Bagpiper

This past summer I was honoured to have taken place in an amazing wedding ceremony. It all started when I met Tina and Garrett at least a year in advance to play a few tunes for them to pick from. At the time they knew they needed a Piper, but didn't know exactly what music they wanted for sure. After playing for a bit we settled on the perfect music. I had a great time that day getting to know the lovely couple while having the chance to entertain them with traditional Scottish music.

A few months later Tina called me and asked how I would like to play with a Dhol drummer. At first I was hesitant, but after discussing further I thought I would give it a try. I was provided with a phone number and only the musician's first name - Jug. Later that day I called Jug to see what he thought of the idea. When I got him on the phone, he was an enthusiastic guy who was willing to give it a try. We planned to meet at Assiniboine Park later in the week to blast off a few tunes.

When we met, everything fell into place immediately. He showed me his Dhol drum and explained its origin from the Punjab region of India and that the name was a Punjabi word. He told me about the double sided drum with two pitches and then played a sample for me. WOW! I can honestly say that that is the loudest drum I have ever heard. Needless to say, it worked perfectly with the Bagpipes and a small crowd of people began to gather around us. We played a few more tunes together and then called it quits for the day.

The day of the wedding was hot and sunny - perfect for a celebration. I was prepped and ready to go early so I just waited for the couple to arrive. Tina asked me to play a tune called "Love Divine" while she walked down the aisle. This is a tune that I had never played before so I had to learn it prior to the wedding and it worked out brilliantly - with it's very melodic tune structure. At the end of the wedding, I played a nice upbeat hornpipe called "Clumsy Lover" of all names! It's a great tune that really puts a lift in your step and rounded out the ceremony nicely.

Later, at the reception was the real surprise for the guests. Jug and I met quickly for one last practice session and then played for Tina and Garrett as they entered the reception hall as a newly married couple. The Dhol drum worked so well with the Pipes that it really got people clapping along with the beat of the tune of "Scotland the Brave". What a wonderful way to be introduced for the first time as a married couple!

I would like to thank Liane Bergen for the wonderful photographs that she captured from the wedding day. I have worked alongside Liane in the past and without question I have seen her professionalism and ability to portray the events with originality. I wish to have the opportunity to work with her again in the future.

Cheers,
Kyle Campbell
w. TheBagpiper.ca
t. 204-981-1182