Louise the Piper - The Early Piping Years
Often referred to as ‘Scotland’s National Piper’ in the media, due to her numerous appearances at high profile events worldwide, Louise Marshall is very much in demand as a solo performer. Louise's father, William Joseph Marshall, was the piper at Gretna Green for 44 years until he sadly passed away in 1999.
Louise performed alongside her father at the marriage mecca of Gretna Green from the age of 9 playing the bagpipes. Louise's sister, Sharon, a gold medalist Highland Dancer, also performed at Gretna along with their brothers, Sean and Paul, who also played the bagpipes.
Louise and her 2 piping brothers, Sean and Paul, were all taught by renowned Bagpipe Tutor, Alex Watson of Annan.
Louise's Great Uncle Jock piped troops over the trenches during World War II and then at Gretna during the Fifties. Together, Louise and her Marshall family of pipers have welcomed and entertained millions of visitors all over the world, promoting Scotland's tradition, heritage and culture for over 75 years!
Louise entered solo piping competitions from the age of 9 in her home county of Dumfries & Galloway, along with her piping brothers, obtaining many prizes and also joined and competed with the Maclean of Annan Pipe Band in her early teens. At the age of 18, Louise moved to Edinburgh to study Business and German at University. Upon completion of her studies she went on to work in the Languages Department at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and in 1991 joined the Scottish Gas Caledonian Pipe Band, who were based in Edinburgh. Later that year, the band won 1st place at the Scottish, British and European Pipe Band Championships and gained 3rd place at the World Pipe Championships in Glasgow. Along with being awarded many other prizes over the years at competitions, Louise and the band also travelled extensively, performing at events and festivals worldwide, including Britanny, Galicia and Indonesia.
Louise moved to Hamburg in 1991 to work with a shipping company, where she also performed regularly at events with her bagpipes abroad, including piping at the birthday party of former Chancellor of Germany,Helmut Kohl, in Bonn, a ship launch in The Netherlands and solo piping competitions in Denmark. She then returned to University in Edinburgh in 1994, to study an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Export Marketing and German, being merited with a distinction and was employed as a Buyer for a Shipping company in Edinbugh for seven years.
After the birth of Louise's 2 children, Rory and Iona, she decided to return to her passion of bagpiping and commenced self-employment as a professional Bagpiper and Bagpipe Tutor in 2004, performing at many events at home and abroad, tutoring hundred of students of all ages around the world whilst continuing to fly the flag for Scotland!
Louise moved to Hamburg in 1991 to work with a shipping company, where she also performed regularly at events with her bagpipes abroad, including piping at the birthday party of former Chancellor of Germany,Helmut Kohl, in Bonn, a ship launch in The Netherlands and solo piping competitions in Denmark. She then returned to University in Edinburgh in 1994, to study an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Export Marketing and German, being merited with a distinction and was employed as a Buyer for a Shipping company in Edinbugh for seven years.
After the birth of Louise's 2 children, Rory and Iona, she decided to return to her passion of bagpiping and commenced self-employment as a professional Bagpiper and Bagpipe Tutor in 2004, performing at many events at home and abroad, tutoring hundred of students of all ages around the world whilst continuing to fly the flag for Scotland!
