I was 11 when I found my dad’s old pennywhistle at his family home in rural South Dakota.

It was a blue Generation D, the label slightly chipped.

Dad had gotten it on a college trip to Ireland in the late 70s, and could still play a tune he had learned from the Armagh piper’s club book he got with it. I was very impressed, and it came home with me when we returned to Seattle from visiting Grandma and Grandpa. 

For many years, it lay in a drawer in my desk mostly untouched until my younger brother began learning the Great Highland Bagpipes. The tunes I heard coming through the wall would get stuck in my head, and I began trying to pick them out on the whistle.

In 2011, as I returned to Northfield, Minnesota for my second year of college, for some reason I took it with me. My dad had noticed, and sent me a message that there was an accomplished Irish flute player in town who might be able to give me a few lessons.

Studying with Laura MacKenzie introduced me to the world of traditional woodwinds, and it was not long before she had me on the flute, the scottish smallpipes, and much later, the Flemish-style border pipes. She would often drive me and my friends up to the Twin Cities to play in the pub sessions, attend concerts at the Celtic Junction, and meet the colorful characters of the Minnesota traditional music scene. I spent a further year in St. Paul after college working in a miserable surgical tools factory, and I lived for session days where I would walk the 20 blocks to Keegan’s and play my borrowed flute. 

After my eventual return to Seattle, I pursued a deep interest in the Roscommon and Sligo/Mayo border styles of playing (aka ‘northern’), drawing from influences like John Carlos, Patsy Hanly, Jack Dolan, and Catherine MacEvoy.

I also began exploring continental European bagpipes, and joined the International Bagpipe Society to be better connected to the community of players and makers of these fascinating instruments.

In late 2020 I worked with students at the Carnegie Mellon School of Materials Engineering to investigate the mechanical properties of reed cane, and suggest composite materials which could replicate them with greater strength and moisture resistance.

Acknowledgements

I am deeply indebted to many friends for the support, encouragement, and insight they’ve given me throughout this project, and I want to acknowledge a few of them here. The foundation of Barter Loch Woodwinds was undoubtedly laid by Richard Twomey, who during the course of a session I learned was an engineer. I mentioned I was trying to come up with my own whistle design, and his generosity with his machine shop, scientific expertise, and design thinking would make it possible for me to acquire the many skills required for this strange intersection of art and science.

Just a short while later, David Voetmann was keeping the Facility Makerspace open past closing to let me sneak out a print of my first 3D printed whistlehead. David’s ceaseless drive to help inventors young and old bring their ideas to life has been an example I hope to rise to!

I must also thank Yola and Forbes Christie of Windward Flutes, for countless hours of advice on the finer points of craftsmanship, visual design, and the fluid dynamics involved in woodwinds. The week I spent visiting their workshop was transformational.

I am deeply inspired by the work of Donald Lindsay and Zexuan Qiao, who have revolutionized bagpipe design. Thank you for the many fascinating discussions on pipes, acoustics, and 3D printing!

I’d also like to thank the following people for their support and generosity:

Hana Chang | David Ohanessian | Jon Swayne | Jim Moss | Geert Lejeune

Music

  • Keltoi

    Seattle’s most famous Gaelic band for over 30 years, bringing spirited interpretations of both the traditional and avant-garde across the Gaeltacht.

  • The Long Drop

    These three friends transform even the barest of rooms into a lively living room vibe with Scottish, Irish, and Cape Breton music!

  • The Beltane Boys

    These lads deliver three-part vocal harmonies, virtuosic playing across a variety of musical traditions, and abundant good humor!

  • Solo

    Playing a variety of bagpipes, flutes, and whistles, Cam delights with intriguing historical tidbits and hearty vocals from Celtic and maritime traditions.