Agan Bagpiping Services, Professional Bagpiper in Asheville, North Carolina
He is available to play for weddings, funerals, and special events. I started playing the bagpipes at St. Thomas Episcopal School in Houston, Texas, with early instruction from a graduate of the school, Michael Cusack, who is now one of the world’s most accomplished competitive solo pipers.
In the late 1990s, I played with the Hamilton Pipe Band from Houston, which included many alumni of St. Thomas Episcopal School.
The band had some great achievements during that time: First Place in Grade III at the North American Pipe Band Championships in Maxville, Ontario in August 1997; First Place in Grade III at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland in August 1998; and Third Place out of 33 bands competing in Grade II at the World Pipe Band Championships in August 1999.As a solo piper, I am best known for my musical tribute to the professonal golfer, Payne Stewart, who died in an airplane accident in October 1999.
I was the Piper in the Mist at a special memorial ceremony at the Champions Golf Club, honoring Payne’s remarkable life and career.
More recently, since relocating with my family to Asheville, I have been fortunate enough to play with local composer Billy Jackson and the Asheville Symphony Orchestra (in October 2007) and with local Grammy-winning artists Al Petteway and Amy White at the Swannanoa Solstice Holiday Concert at the Diana Wortham Theatre (in December 2007).
