Bio

Geoff began learning the Great Highland Bagpipe in 1988 with the City of Berwick Pipes & Drums (Victoria, Australia). After playing with them for several years he joined the City of Nunawading Highland Pipe Band with whom he played with for a further 6 years, progressing through the ranks from Grade 4 to Grade 1. Whilst playing in these bands, Geoff competed in solo piping competitions.

Throughout his involvement with Highland piping, Geoff has been interested in all aspects of piping, including interest with other types of pipes. Geoff studied the bagpipes for VCE Music and made electronic bagpipes for a high school project.

For several years, Geoff was the editor of Pipe Bands Victoria, the monthly magazine of the Victorian Highland Pipe Bands Association. Geoff was also involved in the Pipers’ Club of Victoria until it folded in the early 1990s and was the Official Piper to the Scottish Gaelic Society of Victoria for many years. Geoff is the current president of the Celtic Piping Club Inc.

In the mid-1990s, Geoff became interested in folk music and branched out to play various types of pipes at music sessions and festivals. Geoff has played the pipes in the bands Corryvreckan and Taliska, and as a guest piper for several bands and artists, including Area 7, Thunderstruck, the Melbourne Scottish Fiddle Club, and Braemar, having recorded several CDs with many of these performers. Recently, Geoff had a guest piping role in the TV series 'Preacher' aired on Stan.

Geoff won the Overseas Class of the Lowland & Border Pipers Society Annual Competition in 2014, 2015 and 2018.

Geoff began teaching the pipes during his time with the Nunawading Pipe Band and taught pupils at Nunawading and at the Geelong RSL Pipes & Drums, and currently teaches privately. Geoff's students range from school-aged younger beginners to older, more experienced players.

Geoff can provide APBA piping certificate level tuition and is producing a book, aimed at beginner to advanced pipers, covering all aspects of the piping world, including the history, famous players, pipe-makers and tutors, music theory, performance, tuition, exercises and tunes, maintenance and other information and references. An abridged article based on this book was submitted to the National Folk Festival in Canberra for their education program and is available on the Bagpipe Info page.

Geoff currently plays the Great Highland Bagpipe, Scottish & Northumbrian Smallpipes, Border pipes, tin whistles and other instruments. Geoff offers services for piping performances (weddings, parties, functions, etc.), tuition, compositions, workshops and pipe maintenance/repairs.