Elise MacGregor Ferrell Bagpiper from Santa Cruz, CA

"The People's Piper," Elise MacGregor Ferrell is frequently praised for putting beautiful expression into her music, and for recommending the best musical choices for each of her client's unique events. Her expertise derives from long experience performing at funerals weddings, black-tie whiskey tastings, corporate parties, military ceremonies, birthday parties, and golf tournaments, as well as giving solo concerts at outdoor music venues. In addition to being a career soloist, Elise is also a 7-year bandleader of one the SF Bay Area's busiest Celtic bands, Charmas - a job which has taught her how to perform Scotland and Ireland's most beloved songs with authentic character and evocative phrasing. Her professional recordings get streamed by many thousands of Spotify listeners each month, from all around the globe. She also competes with the award-winning Monterey Bay Pipe Band, and seasonally performs with Canada's 100-year-old Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band (from whom she has learned a huge repertoire of traditional songs that aren't commonly played in California). All soloists have individual specializations, and Elise's specializations include performing over an hour and a half's worth of beautiful Funeral Music, Irish "Top 40," Scottish Songs of Glory, Palace Marches, Military Anthems, Old Scottish Ballads, Showy Competition Sets, and some novelty rock n' roll music. Given a month for learning a new tune, Elise can polish almost anything that might sound good played on bagpipes, and if she thinks your request won't sound good, she will tell you so right up front (even at the risk of losing a booking). Her usual concert bagpipes are handmade MacLellans, while for ash scatterings at sea, as well as orchestral/band concerts, she keeps a separate set of dedicated MacLellans tuned to Concert Bb pitch. She also plays a top-quality set of smaller Garvie "border pipes," which can be nice for small venues in which full-size pipes would be too loud. Bagpipes are a finicky instrument, requiring constant maintenance, precise tuning, extreme physical stamina, and vigilant daily practice. This is the reason why good bagpipers are never cheap, and why bagpipes have become the butt of many unflattering jokes. Please do not book the first/most aggressive/cheapest bagpiper who reaches you by telephone, without first listening to everyone's demos (seriously, 90% of Gigmasters clients fall into this trap). Remember that anyone can sign up to be represented by an online booking agent (there is no quality control), and most references can't be trusted as a measure of quality (only professionalism), because the majority of clients haven't heard enough good bagpiping to recognize lesser quality music (but if you have some savvy guests at your event, they will definitely know the difference). When you are evaluating the demos, please listen carefully for things like a consistently "sweet" tone (good tuning), steady drone pitches (good blowing technique), fast strike-ins (evidence of playing skill), and - for goodness sakes - if you hear a computer MIDI file instead of real bagpipes, ask yourself why a bagpiper would post fake demos! As far as price goes, please add the amount of music you want (which often isn't much) to the amount of time you hope your piper will spend practicing (not just performing) during the weeks preceding your event, how far they will need to drive round-trip, and how long it will take them to put on and take off the fancy costume. For reasons of being kind to our planet, it also makes sense to hire the closest bagpiper who can play up to your event's required standards, so please notice where each bidder lives. (If someone offers to drive a long distance for little money, please question the quality of music you'll be getting. Also, note that I've had numerous reports from clients who booked a cheaper piper that their budget-entertainer cancelled the booking and left them in the lurch. I am not that kind of bagpiper; I always bid full price, so that you can count on me never cancelling for any reason other than a family emergency (in which case I would try very hard to find you a topnotch replacement for the same price). Finally, please keep in mind that, even if you "only" want your bagpiper to play Amazing Grace - of course, all bagpipers can play the tune - but only the best can reach deep into your soul and conjure the kind of deep emotions you are hoping to feel. Sometimes spending an extra $50 can make all the difference between getting the job done versus creating memories you will cherish for the rest of your life.

• Bathgate Highland Gathering | MARCHES
• Lord Lovat’s Lament | MARCHES
• Inner Guard | MARCHES
• Pikeman’s March | MARCHES
• Andrew Warnock’s March | MARCHES
• Cabar Feidh | MARCHES
• Scotland the Brave | MARCHES
• Rowan Tree | MARCHES
• Wings | MARCHES
• No Awa a Bide Awa | MARCHES
• Green Hills of Tyrol | MARCHES
• When the Battle’s Over | MARCHES
• Teribus | MARCHES
• Corrichollie’s Welcome | MARCHES
• My Land | MARCHES
• Meeting of the Waters | MARCHES
• March of the Champions Supreme | MARCHES
• Magersfontein | MARCHES
• Loch Marie | MARCHES
• Horsbrugh Castle | MARCHES
• High Road to Gairloch | MARCHES
• Heights of Dargai | MARCHES
• Glenfinnan Highland Gathering | MARCHES
• Glendarual Highlanders | MARCHES
• Gardens of Skye | MARCHES
• Flett from Flotta | MARCHES
• Cullen Bay | MARCHES
• Crags of Tumbledown Mountain | MARCHES
• Colin’s Cattle | MARCHES
• Cockney Jocks | MARCHES
• Bonnie Lass of Fyvie | MARCHES
• Castle Dangerous | MARCHES
• The Black Bear | MARCHES
• The Barren Rocks of Aden | MARCHES
• 100 Pipers | MARCHES
• Dark Island | MARCHES
• Carradale Bay | MARCHES
• Donald MacLellan of Rothsay | MARCHES
• Hot Punch | MARCHES
• King George V Army | MARCHES
• The Dunkirk Gallant Boatman | MARCHES
• Dream Valley of Glendaruel | MARCHES
• Southall | MARCHES
• MacFail From Bunessan | MARCHES
• Auchmountains Bonnie Glen | MARCHES
• The Rose of Allendale | MARCHES
• Piobaireached of Donald Dubh | MARCHES
• Kilworth Hills | MARCHES
• Falkland Palace | MARCHES
• Australian Ladies | MARCHES
• At Long Last | MARCHES
• Walter Douglas M.B.E. | MARCHES
• Sweet Maid of the Glendaruel | MARCHES
• Molly Connell | STRATHSPEYS
• Ewe with a Crookit Horn | STRATHSPEYS
• Craig a Bodich | STRATHSPEYS
• Mac an Irish | STRATHSPEYS
• Seoneidh’s Tune | STRATHSPEYS
• Loudon’s Bonnie Woods and Braes | STRATHSPEYS
• Lady MacKenzie of Gairloch | STRATHSPEYS
• Caledonian Canal | STRATHSPEYS
• Under the Triboro | STRATHSPEYS
• Highland Harry | STRATHSPEYS
• Ghillie Callum | STRATHSPEYS
• Dornie Ferry | STRATHSPEYS
• Susan Salsitz | STRATHSPEYS
• Hey Johnnie | STRATHSPEYS
• Big John MacNeil | REELS
• The Gravel Walk | REELS
• Kelsey’s Wee Reel | REELS
• Jenny Dang the Weaver | REELS
• Rowd’s | REELS
• In and Out The Harbor | REELS
• Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tyree | REELS
• Cabar Feidh | REELS
• MacArthur Road | REELS
• The Blackberry Bush | REELS
• Alex MacDonald | REELS
• Alick C. McGregor | REELS
• Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay | REELS
• Lexi McAskill | REELS
• The Bouncing Czech | REELS
• Spootiskerry | REELS
• Malt on the Optics | REELS
• Molly on the Shore | REELS
• Miss Girdle | REELS
• Paddy Be Easy | JIGS
• Dougald’s Favorite | JIGS
• The Duck | JIGS
• Silly Witches | JIGS
• The Curlew | JIGS
• Kesh | JIGS
• Rocking the Baby | JIGS
• Ward’s | JIGS
• Blarney Pilgrim | JIGS
• The Highland Games Jig | JIGS
• The Soup Dragon | JIGS
• Skyman’s | JIGS
• Bride’s Jig | JIGS
• Hag at the Churn | JIGS
• Minnie Hynd | JIGS
• Archie Beag | JIGS
• Atholl Highlanders | HORNPIPES
• Scrappy’s Challenge | HORNPIPES
• Callum Iain | HORNPIPES
• Ian Green’s | HORNPIPES
• B52 | HORNPIPES
• Walking the Plank | HORNPIPES
• Steam Train to Mallaig | HORNPIPES
• The Dreaming Tree | HORNPIPES
• Highland Laddie | DANCE TUNES
• Brown Haired Maiden | DANCE TUNES
• Dans En Dro | DANCE TUNES
• Mallorca | SLOW AIRS
• Breton Air | SLOW AIRS
• Mist Covered Mountains | SLOW AIRS
• Loch Rannoch | SLOW AIRS
• Hector the Hero | SLOW AIRS
• The Mermaid’s Song | SLOW AIRS
• Beside the River Auro | SLOW AIRS
• Fair Maid of Barra | SLOW AIRS
• Miss Dorothy Miller | SLOW AIRS
• The Maids of Jura | SLOW AIRS
• Gran’s Tune | SLOW AIRS
• Farewell to the Creeks | SLOW AIRS
• Donald Ross of Vancouver | SLOW AIRS
• Flower of Scotland | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Skye Boat Song | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Mingulay Boat Song | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Auld Lang Syne | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Bonnie Dundee | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Scots Wa Hae | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Will Ye No Come Back Again | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Road to the Isles | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• A Man’s A Man | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• 500 Miles | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Killiecrankie | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Caledonia | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Lochanside | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Celtics Celtics That's the Team For Me | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Wee Michael's March | SCOTTISH SONGS/ANTHEMS
• Maigh Seola (Gerard Fahy) | IRISH SLOW BARNDANCE
• Wearing of the Green | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Shoals of Herring | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Minstrel Boy | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Jim Thompson of Flagstaff | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Come By the Hills | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• When Irish Eyes Are Smiling | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• St. Patrick’s March | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• She Moved Through the Fair | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Wild Mountain Thyme | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• The Bard of Armagh | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Black Velvet Band | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Four Green Fields | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Fields of Athenrye | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• If I Should Fall From Grace With God | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Whiskey in the Jar | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Roddy McCorley | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Leaving of Liverpool | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Thomas Sanders | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Johnny With the Bandy Legs | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Danny Boy | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Little Beggarman | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• The Parting Glass | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Shoals of Herring | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Garyowen | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Johnny Mickey Barry’s | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• Raglan Road (Dawning of the Day) | IRISH SONGS/TUNES
• My Home | ENGLISH SONGS
• The Ash Grove | ENGLISH SONGS
• (Sleep Dearie Sleep) | ENGLISH SONGS
• Calling Me Home | CANADIAN SONGS/TUNES
• The Maple Leaf Forever | CANADIAN SONGS/TUNES
• On the Road to Passchendaele | CANADIAN SONGS/TUNES
• Shenendoah | AMERICAN SONGS
• Swing Low Sweet Chariot | AMERICAN SONGS
• Notre Dame Fight Song | AMERICAN SONGS
• America the Beautiful | AMERICAN SONGS
• The Star Spangled Banner | AMERICAN SONGS
• Flowers of the Forest | FUNERAL/MEMORIAL MUSIC
• MacCrimmon Will Never Return | FUNERAL/MEMORIAL MUSIC
• Going Home | FUNERAL/MEMORIAL MUSIC
• Taps | FUNERAL/MEMORIAL MUSIC
• Highland Cathedral | WEDDING MUSIC
• Mhairi’s Wedding | WEDDING MUSIC
• Murdo’s Wedding | WEDDING MUSIC
• My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose | WEDDING MUSIC
• Lovesong for Deborah Anne | WEDDING MUSIC
• Hearken My Love | WEDDING MUSIC
• Fairytale of New York | WEDDING MUSIC
• Bridal March | WEDDING MUSIC
• Amazing Grace | CHURCH HYMNS
• Abide With Me | CHURCH HYMNS
• How Great Thou Art | CHURCH HYMNS
• I Come to the Garden Alone | CHURCH HYMNS
• In Every Age | CHURCH HYMNS Janet Sullivan Whitaker
• The King of Love My Shepherd Is | CHURCH HYMNS
• Cwm Rhondda Guide Me - O Thou Great Jehovah | CHURCH HYMNS
• Be Thou My Vision | CHURCH HYMNS
• Ode to Joy | CHURCH HYMNS
• On Eagles Wings | CHURCH HYMNS Jan Michael Joncas
• Battle of Waterloo | MILITARY MUSIC
• Battle of the Somme | MILITARY MUSIC
• 10th HLO Crossing the Rhine | MILITARY MUSIC
• Bloody Fields of Flanders | MILITARY MUSIC
• All the Blue Bonnets Over the Border | MILITARY MUSIC
• When the Saints Go Marching In | MILITARY MUSIC
• Anchors Away | MILITARY MUSIC
• Navy Hymn Eternal Father | MILITARY MUSIC
• Happy Birthday | NOVELTY SONGS
• Concerning Hobbits Intro | NOVELTY The Shire
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow | NOVELTY Harold Arlin
• Whiter Shade of Pale | ROCK SONGS Procul Harem
• In the Light | ROCK SONGS Led Zeppelin
• Long Way to the Top | ROCK SONGS AC/DC
• Do Ya Think I’m Sexy | NOVELTY Rod Stewart
• When I’m 64 | NOVELTY The Beatles
• Hot Punch | CALYPSO