New Celtic Instruments

New Celtic Instruments is committed to building on tradition by exploring possibilities for new instrumentation in traditional music. Founded by Duncan Gillis, a professional Celtic musician and instrument-maker living in Ottawa, Canada, New Celtic Instruments began in 2003 with the development and production of The Highland Hornpipe, a new instrument for Highland bagpipers. This hints at the beginnings of Duncan’s musical journey at the age of seven, with lessons on the Highland bagpipes from his father, Allan Gillis of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. With his Cape Breton background, Duncan was exposed very early on to a living tradition of dance music which has continued to guide his musical interests.

During the early 1980’s, his interests in the wider scope of Celtic music took him from the pipe band setting to playing tin whistle, flute and other instruments in sessions and in various bands which has become his main musical focus. This rich session environment spurred Duncan on to ideas of instruments which combined the various qualities of whistles, bagpipes, flutes and single reeds. Duncan’s previous experience in making other folk woodwinds and his acquaintance with skilled instrument builders like Nathan Curry, Colin Carrigan and John Bishop equipped him with the ability (some would say insanity) to begin experimenting with single reeds and tubes of all types and sizes. Eventually, after much research and experimentation, The Highland Hornpipe came into being in 2003, and The Whistle Player’s Hornpipe in 2005.

And the story isn’t over. If you’d like to keep up with new Celtic instruments as they develop, please leave your email address in the sign-up field in the column to the left. And don’t forget to check out our other instruments:

The Highland Hornpipe