About Aaron

With over 30 years of experience, Aaron is an invaluable resource in the Vancouver Island bagpiping scene. He has recently competed provincially as a solo bagpiper at the grade 2 level and has been the bagpiper for the Celtic Punk band The Grinning Barretts for 10 years. Because Aaron placed so well in the 2025 competition season with CLASP (Competition League For Amateur Solo Pipers) based out of Scotland, he was promoted to compete in Grade 1 for the 2026 competition season. If you're looking for a versatile bagpiper, Aaron is your guy! His passion for bagpiping has also led him to play the Irish whistle, where he has become a sought-after performer. Together with his wife, he hosts a weekly Traditional Irish Music Session in their hometown of Nanaimo, BC.

After taking a few years off from competing, Aaron competed again in 2025 in the Pacific Northwest Competition Circuit securing a 4th place finish overall in the Grade 2 solo Bagpiping category. In addition to this, he won the Aggregate award for Grade 2 Solo Piping at the BC Pipers' Association Annual Gathering, as well as Aggregate at both the Kamloops BC and Campbell River BC Highland Games. Reconnecting with the competition scene has reignited his enthusiasm, and he looks forward to continuing next year.

In addition to solo competitions, Aaron has competed with pipe and drum bands, performed at numerous special occasions (including his own wedding), and even played his bagpipes at the Ring of Brodgar in the Orkney Islands. As a teenager, he traveled to Scotland with his long time bagpipe instructor, Bill Grant, and competed in solo competition. He cherishes his early years with Legion Branch 53 Duncan Pipes and Drums, where he enjoyed listening to the war veterans' stories.

Aaron's polished playing and remarkable technical mastery can be attributed to his instructors Carol Fowler, Bill Grant, Angus G. MacLeod, and James Barrie, many of whom were trained by legendary bagpipers in Scotland.

Aaron has recently rekindled his passion for teaching bagpipes, a role he first embraced as a teenager with the Legion Pipe band. He finds great joy in instructing and watching his students grow and evolve.