Brian Bigley: Irish Musician, Dancer and Uilleann Pipe Maker

Brian Bigley comes from a musical family on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio where he first heard the ethereal sound of the Uilleann Pipes at the West Side Irish American Club. Soon after, at the age of eight, he began studying with Achill Island piper Michael Kilbane. Since then, Brian's sensitivity to the art of Uilleann Piping has developed into a high level of understanding with the help of his family and the countless musicians that have crossed his path.

His interest in maintaining that ethereal sound led Brian to study the art of pipe making with the prolific pipe maker, Seth Gallagher, in New York and the master flute maker, Patrick Olwell, in Virginia. He is currently making pipes in the style of the late Dave Williams and has a waiting list.

Brian is also a world-class Irish step dancer. Studying with Bob Masterson and Catherine leneghan from age seven, he went on to compete with distinction at the World Championships in Glasgow and Killarney.

He has toured extensively throughout North America and Europe as a piper, flute player, whistle player and dancer with various music and dance shows including, “Tomáseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas” (ACelticChristmas.com) which has appearances regularly at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio and at the Medina Performing Arts Center. He was a guest artists with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra (cyorchestra.org) in Cleveland where they performed “Symphonic Led Zeppelin” at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2002) and the Masonic Auditorium in Cleveland (2007).

He has also had the privilege of performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City with The Chieftains as well as appearing on stage with legendary piper Paddy Keenan. In March of 2016, Brian was a featured dancer and musician with The Omaha Symphony's production of “Celtic Journey” (CelticJourney.org), a symphonic presentation of traditional Irish music, dance and storytelling. This production has gone on to perform with the Nashville, Edmonton and Detroit Symphonies.

Competitive accolades include taking first prize for senior piping at the Midwest Regional Fleadh Cheoil and taking second place at the Fleadh in Drogheda, Ireland in 2019.

Brian now lives near Cleveland, Ohio with his fiddler wife, Kristen, and their dancing children, James and Kathleen.

Brian Bigley honors Irish heritage making and playing Uilleann Pipes

Read and/or listen to the program HERE.