Chris Gray - Piper & Pianist

Chris Gray is one of Scotland’s most sought-after multi-instrumentalists. Originally from Lockerbie in the South West of Scotland, Chris is a piper, pianist, whistle player, composer and teacher of great versatility. Chris has been performing at a range of events including weddings, festivals, funerals, corporate events and more for over 15 years. Performance highlights include festivals in Wickham (England), Ortigueira (Spain), Lorient (France), and solo piano at Blair Castle (Scotland) for Keepers of the Quaich banquets. Chris has appeared at the Edinburgh Festival live on BBC Radio Scotland Pipeline with his trio, and as part of the backing band both with the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland and Inveraray & District Pipe Band. He has also piped with Inveraray & District Pipe Band, and with them has won the 2017 World Pipe Band Championships as well as the Scottish, British & European Championships. Chris performed solo and alongside the Red Hot Chilli Pipers at the Basel International Tattoo 2019 (Switzerland). Outside of playing traditional music, Chris has also performed in the world of musical theatre, playing keys for The Wedding Singer production at Eastwood Park Theatre, Glasgow in March 2019. As a composer and arranger, Chris’ work has included arranging music for the Fraser Shaw Trust, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) and a Royal Air Force performance for HM The Queen & The Royal Family. His arrangement of ‘MacKintosh’s Lament’ for piano, strings and vocals has reached audiences worldwide and was included in Eddi Reader’s programme on Scala Radio, exploring links between classical and folk music. In November 2021 Chris’ released his first collection of music, ‘Chris Gray’s Contemporary Tunes from Scotland’. The tune book is the culmination of years of composing, and the tunes are reflective of his strong upbringing with traditional music. Chris continues to take new strides in his composing and arranging, harvesting a continued love for all things music. In January 2020, at Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Chris released his self-titled debut album. It features all original compositions, rooted in the tradition of folk music, arranged for a multi-instrumental ensemble. Chris was a 2021 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year semi-finalist, and received a MMus Scottish Music Degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He was also one of the Pipers of the Scottish Session Orchestra that recorded for Hans Zimmer’s Dune film soundtrack. Chris’ playing is hugely influenced by his time spent listening to and playing folk music from a young age. During his time at the RCS, Chris studied traditional and classical music with acclaimed Irish pianist Mary McCarthy. In 2018, Chris spent a semester at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, experiencing a new influence of rich Swedish folk culture whilst simultaneously studying with jazz/folk piano maestro Arne Forsén. In May 2019, Chris released an EP with Swedish fiddler and singer Kristina Leesik – the result being a fusion of their shared passion for both Celtic and Scandinavian folk music. Kristina & Chris performed a sold out show in Stockholm for the EP release. As well as having performed internationally in Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia and Oman, Chris is in high demand as a teacher. In addition to his own tuition both in-person and online, he has held positions as a piano instructor at Riverside Music College in Glasgow (Scotland), and as a piping instructor at the renowned Scots College in Sydney (Australia). During his time in Australia, Chris performed at numerous folk clubs and at the Parliament of New South Wales.