David Power

Uilleann pipes is both the name of a bellows-blown Irish bagpipe and a repertoire-centered performance practice within Irish traditional music. The instrument’s chanter, three drones, and up to three keyed regulators allow a uniquely lyrical, harmonically rich approach that differs markedly from other bagpipes. The style ranges from highly rhythmic dance tunes (reels, jigs, hornpipes, slip jigs) to deeply expressive slow airs that mirror the cadences of sean-nós singing. Technique centers on a “closed” fingering approach, leg-stopping the chanter to articulate phrasing, and idiomatic ornaments such as rolls, cuts, taps, and the hallmark uilleann “cran.” Because performers can accompany themselves with regulator chords, uilleann piping can sound simultaneously melodic and harmonized, making it a distinctive pillar of Irish traditional music and an expressive solo art in its own right.