About Me

Fàilte! I'm Nolan Schoenle, and I provide Scottish bagpiping services and beginner bagpipe mentoring in the Central Illinois area.I began piping in 2017 at Grinnell College under the instruction of Pipe Major Rob Clower. I am currently a competing soloist in the Midwest Pipe Band Association (MWPBA) and a member of Turlach Ur Pipe Band.In the "pipe band off-season," I am an active participant in community theatre productions as well as a learner of Irish Gaelic.

Notable Achievements
2023
MWPBA Music Board post-season upgrade to Grade 3 solos for the 2024 season.
Runner Up for MWPBA Champion Supreme Grade 4 Senior (18+) solo piping - came in 2nd in the final tiebreaker calculation.
Mentor of the MWPBA Grade 5 Senior (18+) Champion Supreme
Gold medalist for Grade 4 Senior (18+) Strathspey-Reel (Group A) - Midwest Pipe Band Championship in Chicago
Featured Soloist - Turlach Ur Summer Concert2022
MWPBA Champion Supreme for Grade 5 Senior (18+) solo piping

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

Are you Scottish?
No. My family is Irish-American. My dad was born in Dublin and came to the US when he was a boy. If you go back far enough on my mom's side, we were Mackenzies up until about 6 generations ago.Do you play events?
Yes! Please get in touch with me via email. I tend to have limited availability, but the piping community is close enough that I can put you in touch with other pipers if I am unable to do your event.Do you play with a group?
I play with the Turlach Ur Pipe Band based in Grinnell, IA. We have members from all over the country who come together to compete at Highland Games around the Midwest. The band holds hybrid Zoom/in-person practices to accommodate players who cannot attend practices in Iowa on a regular basis.Do you teach or mentor?
Yes! I work with beginners to develop their competency with the instrument and fluency with the music as well as coaching them through the more nitty-gritty aspects of piping like instrument maintenance. In addition, I also coach pipers who are interested in preparing for their first solo competitions. Please reach out by email to discuss your individual situation.What tartans do you wear?
I proudly wear the Mackenzie (Ancient) tartan as my primary kilt (pictured above). I also wear Rose - Hunting (Ancient), MacDonald of the Isles - Hunting (Modern), Mackenzie (Modern), and Kilts and Culture. A tartan is defined by its thread count (6 Red, 5 Black, 24 White, etc). The designation of modern/ancient/etc. describes the color palette. Here is a nice comparison of the different color palettes.Tell me about your pipes.
I play two sets of Great Highland Bagpipes, an African Blackwood set by David Naill and a polypenco set by Dunbar. I also play a set of Gibson small pipes. These pipes are significantly quieter and suitable to more subdued, indoor events and small gatherings.
I also play a Blair Digital Chanter (which is a bit like a synth but for bagpipes). This instrument hooks into a sound system and is ideal for events where fine-grained volume and mixing control is required and the visuals of a bagpiper are not.Do you play any other instruments?
I grew up playing the B flat clarinet and the piano. These days, I play a bit of bodhrán (the Irish drum), concertina, tin whistle, and guitar.

Media

Contact

Excited? Intrigued? Just want to talk more about bagpipes?

Feel free to reach out to me about any of your bagpipe needs or questions. I love talking about bagpipes almost as much as I love playing them.For information regarding event pricing and availability, please be sure to include the type of event, date, time, and any other important requests in the initial inquiry.
For information regarding mentoring, please indicate your current level of musical experience (not necessarily on the bagpipes). Yes, "None" is a perfectly good response.Email: [email protected]