Professional-Grade Scottish Great Highland Bagpipers and Dancers – Detroit Michigan USA

Fàilie – Welcome from the Cawthons

7 Bagpipers and 1 Highland Dancer

Have Bagpipes will travel, without missing a beat.

Musical Pedigree

Marty and Scott Cawthon took 1st and 3rd place respectively in the North American solo bagpipe competition held at Maxville Canada.

For two brothers to place 1st and 3rd in a solo category at Maxville is an incredibly rare feat that solidifies the Cawthon name in the history of North American piping.

When a piper moves into the Professional (Open) circuit, the expectations shift from “competence” to “artistry.” Here is how that distinction usually plays out in a competitive setting:

• The Repertoire: While a Grade 1 amateur might submit two or three Piobaireachds to a judge, a Professional piper is often required to submit a list of six or more at major competitions (like the Northern Meeting or the Argyllshire Gathering).
• The Instrument: In the Professional ranks, “good” tone isn’t enough. The bagpipe must be world-class—perfectly harmonic, resonant, and stable for 15+ minutes of continuous play.
• Performance: Pro-grade performers are expected to demonstrate “Life and Soul”—the ability to take a standard 2/4 March and give it a rhythmic “swing” or “point” that is unique to their personal style.

Bagpipers Skills by Grade Levels

Why this matters? The world of competitive bagpiping is structured into clear “Grades,” ranging from Grade 5 (Beginner) to Grade 1 (Elite Amateur), followed by “Open” or “Professional” status. These grades apply to both individual soloists and full pipe bands.

Progressing through the grades is less about how many years you’ve played and more about tonal control, technical precision, and repertoire complexity.

The Marketing Trap

It is a classic case of the “professional” label being used as a job description rather than a skill certification. In the piping world—where the gap between a Grade 5 amateur and an Open/Professional grade player is a literal mountain of technical proficiency.

A Grade 5 piper is unlikely to get many bookings if their website says “Novice Piper with limited finger dexterity and a shaky drone tone.” To the general public, a bagpiper is a bagpiper. Most clients do not know there are differences between a Grade 5 hobbyist and a Gold Medalist until they hear the difference; they just want someone in a kilt who can play the hits.

The Bottom Line

Think of a Grade 5/4 piper like a very good high school athlete—they know part of the game, they play OK, and they are fun to watch.

A Grade 1/Open piper is an Olympic athlete. They have spent decades refining “muscle memory” to the point where they can play the most difficult music on earth while maintaining a perfectly tuned bagpiper.

Always ask the Bagpiper their Grade Level of Solo piping and if there are any recordings of them piping solo.

Serving the Community

Since then, brothers have performed in front and for tens of thousands of people including celebrities, Presidents of the US, Four Star Generals, Governors, Senators, Congressman, Corporate executives and events, and other dignitaries.