BARRY Gray

Started learning the bagpipes in 1971 at age 11 with the Fairfield Police & Citizens Boys Club Pipe Band.  In 1972 he moved to the Parramatta Police & Citizens Boys Club Pipe Band.

     In 1973 Barry was elected Pipe Major and the band went on to become one of the most successful  Grade 3 bands in New South Wales. In 1977 nearing the age of 18, Barry left the Boys Club Band and joined the St.John’s Ambulance Brigade Pipes & Drums under Pipe Major Don McLeish.  1982 saw the band change its name from St.Johns Ambulance Brigade Pipes & Drums to Blacktown RSL Pipes & Drums and in the same year they won the Grade 2 Australian Championships in Melbourne, Victoria. Barry was Pipe Sergeant of the band at this time.

     In 1984 Barry was elected Pipe Major, and quickly set about instigating a tutorial programme that would see many local children taught pipes and drums and be integrated into the band. This  led to seeing a second (feeder) band formed. Barry was instrumental in obtaining a new sponsor and the band changed its name to the City of Blacktown Pipe Band (COB) in 1985.

      Barry was the Pipe Major of COB from 1984 until the end of 2006. Whilst under Barry’s management COB competed in Indonesia on 9 occasions, New Zealand 7 times and Scotland on 4 occasions.  On the first trip to Scotland the Grade 4 band were placed 2nd in the World Championships.  The #1 band have won a Grade 1 or Open Graded contest on every trip they made to Scotland.

       After stepping down from the Pipe Major’s position and any managerial involvement with COB at the end of 2006, Barry devoted his efforts for the next 12 months to establish a #3 Grade 4 (feeder) band for the COB organization, which was primarily made up of learner players he, his wife Elizabeth (Tenor Drum) and son Aaron (Snare Drum) had taught. During this time Barry also become (and still is) the tutor for the East Hills Scouts Pipes & Drums and the Hornsby RSL Pipe Band.

       At the end of 2007 after 30 years with COB, Barry moved on and took up the position as pipe tutor and piper with the Hawkesbury City Pipe Band Inc. He looks forward to working with the

bands Pipe Major Robert McLellan, the Hawkesbury Band Committee, fellow players and youth development members to help re-launch the Hawkesbury City Pipe Band onto the contest arena in 2008.

       During Barry’s 30 odd years playing experience has competed in Scotland on two occasions with the World famous Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band under Pipe Major R.T Shepherd (1986) and Pipe Major D.Barnes (1994) and took solo tuition from the legendary Duncan Johnston in 1986.

      Barry holds the Australian Pipe Band College Advanced Certificate (1985). He has attained NSW State Solo Championship status on many occasions and as recently as having been the 2006/07 State Champion. He has competed in solo competition Scotland in 1986, 1992, 94, 95, 98, 2006 and Lorient (France) 1999 as an Australian representative at the famous McCallum Contest.

      In more mainstream performances he has appeared as a piper in two Australian feature films “One Night Stand” and “The Boy Who had Everything”. Barry has also appeared on stage or recorded with Sir Paul McCartney, John Farnham, Jimmy Barnes, The Chieftains, Area 7, Olivia Newton-John, Anthony Warlow, The Beatnix, The UpStreamers, The Red Neck Mothers, Battlefield Band and was the Senior Pipe Major at the Great Anzac Military Tattoo held in Sydney at the Entertainment Centre in 1999 and Acer arena in 2006.

      He has previously been a Director of the NSWPBA Ltd and the Vice Principal of Piping for the Australian Pipe Band College (NSW Branch). He is currently Vice Chairman of the APBA NSW Branch.

      Although Barry’s experience covers all pipe band and solo playing idioms the forte he is renowned for, would be that of passing on playing techniques and guidance to learners and in-experienced players. Barry has over the years taught many young talented players who have gone on to compete over seas with bands such as, Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia, Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia, Ravara and Lochelly High School Pipe Band’s. He hopes to put this experience to good use and see a Hawkesbury Youth Development Band established by the middle of 2008.

Barry’s fulltime employment is that of piper. He owns and manages Pipers of Distinction www.pipersofdistinction.com a company that supplies pipers, dancers, pipe bands and Celtic musicians all over Australia, Singapore and China.

        He also founded the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming and arranges workshops, tutorials and lessons throughout Sydney, New South Wales and Singapore.

       With his wife Elizabeth, they also run Berlsa Trading Celtic Sales, supplying, pipes, drums and uniforms to pipers and drummers all over Australia.

 

 

Barry’s contact details are: 

02 9623 2260                                0412 602 983                                pipers01@optusnet.com.au