There’s just something about the bagpipes that draws out emotions in people, and as a professional bagpipe player and instructor, Peggy Leonard of Conway has done her share of tugging at the heartstrings.
“I’ve made hundreds of people cry,” she says, laughing. “That‘s a good thing.”
A classically trained musician who studied French horn at The Juilliard School, she didn’t pick up the bagpipes until later in life. About 19 years ago, she went to a Highland Games event, heard “the scurl of the pipes” and decided to take lessons. She quickly mastered the art of playing the challenging instrument, and as a solo performer, she’s been in demand throughout South Carolina for weddings, funerals and special occasions. She also helped form the Myrtle Beach Regional Pipe Band, serving as the pipe major for six years.
Leonard says she’s seeing a growing interest in bagpipe music, and notes she’s taught people of all ages, both genders and a variety of cultural backgrounds to play the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland. Part of the appeal for her, she says, is sharing her own Celtic heritage through the music of the pipes.
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Peggy Leonard
AGE: 63
HOMETOWN: Conway
OCCUPATION: Professional bagpipe player and instructor
OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: French horn. She’s also learning to play the fiddle
LITLE-KNOWN FACT: Her favorite TV show is The Big Bang Theory
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Visit here for more information on Peggy Leonard's performances or bagpipe lessons.