About
photo by Becky Tagg Ferguson
About Matthew Welch
Matthew Welch studied traditional Highland Bagpipe music with Gold Medalist masters such as James McIntosh M.B.E., Colin MacLellan, Mike Cusack, Jack Lee, Pipe Major Angus MacLellan, Andrew Wright and celebrated, repeat World-Champion Pipe Majors Terry Lee and Iain McLellan B.E.M. Dr. Welch was a member of one of the most internationally acclaimed bagpipe bands of the last two decades: the six-time World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, and played with the band for their World Pipe Band Championship wins of 1999 and 2001 in Glasgow. As Musical Director for the New York Metro Pipe Band, his unique way of teaching pipe music, musical ensemble cohesion and cultivating a bright, rich pipe corps sound helped steer NY Metro to their 2011 and 2012, 2014 wins at the World Pipe Band Championships, the North American Pipe Band Championships and the American Pipe Band Championships respectively. He is also in demand as a private bagpipe instructor. He has played all over the SF Bay Area since relocating to the East Bay with his wife and son in 2017.