Carlisle lands Pittsburgh piping job

Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh has finally chosen its new Director of the school’s piping degree program, settling on Andrew Carlisle of Ballygowan, Northern Ireland. Carlisle has been a member of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band since 2003, and before then was a member of the Ravara Pipe Band.

At 24 years old, Carlisle has had a successful solo career, particularly in Ireland, where he has done well in the All-Ireland Championships. Among his other awards are the MacGrgeor Memorial Piobaireachd and the Gordon Duncan Memorial in 2008.

Carlisle succeeds Jimmy McIntosh, who held down the Director post on an interim basis after the departure of Alasdair Gillies last fall. The university had announced the beginning of its formal search for a full-time director of the program in January 2010.

“I  am  pleased to be offered the position of Director of Piping at Carnegie Mellon University,” Carlisle said.  “I look forward to taking up the position in the autumn.  I am currently in the final stages of completing my PhD and plan to continue competing with Field Marshal Montgomery and also on the solo scene.”

In the role, Carlisle will be responsible for the university’s teaching program and will lead the Carnegie Mellon Pipe Band, which competes at the Grade 3 level in North America. He has been an instructor with the University of Ulster’s undergraduate music program, and was director of the university’s Traditional Irish Ensemble.