Ryan J. MacNeil

Cape Breton

Originally from Big Pond and now residing in Sydney, Cape Breton, Ryan is known as a powerful yet graceful player. This accomplished musician has mastered his instruments (highland bagpipe, border pipes and whistles) and brings a unique personal flavour to the music he plays. MacNeil's electrifying upbeat playing is strongly rooted in Cape Breton's dance oriented tradition. In the past several years, Ryan has become increasingly well-known as a talented composer. His tunes have been performed and recorded by many musicians, both locally and abroad. To top it all off, Ryan manufactures a line of his own whistles! The "MacNeil whistle" comes from a culmination of technical training. Ryan used his playing experience and practical skills to develop a whistle which rivals any other on the market. Its strong, mellow tone and easy playability are quickly making it the choice of players worldwide. Ryan released his first solo album, Piper, in 2005.