The Great Highland Bagpipe in the Eastern United States
:inception, development, and perpetuation

Abstract

This study is an analysis of the inception, development, and perpetuation of the Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB) in the United States, and in particular examines the culture and community of competitive bagpiping. With a focus on the Eastern United States, the study traces the inception and development of bagpiping through three distinct eras. In the first two eras, the GHB enjoyed increasing degrees of popularity among various populations in the United States, before its presence declined almost to the point of extinction. The study then proceeds to the third era, still in progress, exploring the present state of competitive bagpiping in the Eastern United States including an in-depth examination of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association (EUSPBA). Obstacles to the growth of bagpiping in the EUSPBA are considered, revealing growth trends, as well as attitudes toward and awareness of growth issues. Student perceptions and motivations are analyzed, followed by an examination of teacher attitudes. Specific teaching methods are compared and analyzed. Finally, learning environments, categorized as formal, non-formal, and informal, are described and examined.