Andrea Boyd was born and raised in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. From a family and community strongly steeped in piping tradition, she began piping at the age of nine, receiving tuition from local stalwarts Scott Williams, John Walsh and Bruce Gandy.
She counts among her musical influences, The Rankin Family, Howie MacDonald, Paul K. MacNeil, Doug Boyd, The 78th Fraser Highlanders.
Andrea played with the Antigonish Highland Society Pipe Band from 1994 – 2001 while attaining a BA honours degree from St. Francis Xavier University.
Since coming to Scotland, as well as having taken an MSc degree in Political Communication from the University of Glasgow, she played with the Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia pipe band from 2003-2006.
Andrea’s piping achievements include winning the Young Piper of the Year competition in Benbecula in 2006, The B March and B Strathspey & Reel at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2006 and the Silver Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2008.
Andrea currently receives solo tuition from Willie McCallum and is a member of the World Champion St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band. She is employed as a development officer at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow.
We welcome Andrea back for her second visit to Ceolas.
