Ian Whitelaw

Director, UCR Pipe Band

E-mail: ian@aceltictraveler.com
Office: ARTS 156
Phone: (951) 827-2162

Ian Whitelaw is a devoted and extremely talented bagpiper who brings 40 years of education, experience and exceptional training to his musical performances, competitions and special projects. What distinguishes Ian’s playing is his extraordinary passion, not only to create a remarkable sound of the instrument itself, but for the unique way in which the music is expressed.

He speaks often of his special attention to connecting with the "story" of the musical piece. Ian fulfills this goal daily through his instruction of the bagpipes where he also helps to stimulate the students’ bond with the 'heart and soul' of the music.

Ian has been very successful taking the music of the Scottish Highland Bagpipe into the entertainment industry, working as a creative consultant and performer on top films and television shows including The Rundown, The General’s Daughter, The Simpsons, The West Wing, American Dad, Arliss and the Family Guy. He is as comfortable and enthusiastic playing in a competition for world-renowned judges as he is onstage at the Hollywood Bowl.

As an accomplished competitor, he received many prizes and medals throughout the U.S. and Canada. In addition to demonstrating his talents as a class player in Light Music, winning several competitions, Ian has consistently won in Piobaireachd (the classical music of the bagpipe) in the course of his bagpipe playing career. Some highlights for competition in this music for Ian was receiving the top prize at the Pleasanton Highland Games, the Purgavie Horn in September of 2003, and placing second overall in the very prestigious GS McLennan Invitational Contest held in San Diego, California, with second in both the piobaireachd and MSR events. He also is the Champion piper of the WUSPBA for 2003, 2004 and again in 2005. In 2004, he won the Open Piobaireachd competition held at the Queen Mary Scottish Festival in Long Beach, California. Ian traveled to Scotland to compete in the Gold Medal Competitions held in Oban and Inverness. He was selected from a list of nearly 100 competitors to join a group of 30 contestants for the very prestigious prize for classical music, the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal. In 2005, Ian won the prize for the most musical performance in the United States Prize Pipe Competition held in Michigan. Ian won the Angus MacDonald Piping Competition held at the Sheraton Towers Hotel in San Diego, California, in October of 2005 and again in 2006. Ian won the United States Gold Medal for Piobaireachd held in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2006, and in 2007 won The United States Prize Pipe held in Traverse City, Michigan, as well as the Angus MacDonald Memorial Piping Competition.

Also, Ian has released his own recording CD entitled "Angels From Atlantis" ­  featuring an original composition ­ a project supported and encouraged by the Durfee Foundation located in Los Angeles. Ian is a "Durfee Fellow", having received a two-year grant to assist students with their own piping studies.  He also produced a CD that is devoted to relaxation called "The Lady" which is based upon the ancient music of Scotland called "piobaireachd" – the classical music of the great highland bagpipe.

At UC Riverside, Ian holds a unique position as lecturer and academic coordinator in the Department of Music and as well as director of music for the UCR Pipe Band.

His goal is to bring the great highland bagpipe to the public ear with all the grandness and spirit this very special instrument has to offer. And to have it presented as a majestic instrument of the woodwind family -  rather than as a novelty, something that is thought of by the casual ear.

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