Hailing from sunny Tallahassee, Florida, Michael Stribling is an award winning Uilleann Piper and Irish musician. In County Cavan, Ireland he competed and won the title of “All Ireland Champion” on the Uilleann Pipes at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Michael has spent a significant part of his formative years in Ireland and England performing and studying traditional Irish music, he was mentored by the piping great, Jerry O’Sullivan. His style exhibits technical punctuation with a rhythmical drive, and is heavily influenced by the music of Uilleann piping masters, Patsy Touhey and Leo Rowsome. He regularly joins the Internationally touring Irish bands Fullset and Runa. Michael has taught at Tionóls and piping workshops in California, New York, Missouri, Connecticut, and Florida.  In 2014, Michael added the traditional Irish element for renowned country music artist Trace Adkins’ Celtic Christmas tour, performing on Uilleann pipes, flute and whistle.  When he isn’t playing music, Michael competes in Ironman triathlons across the United States.

Our special guest this year is from a family of piping enthusiasts and has been playing the uilleann pipes for the past 18 years, both as a solo musician and in various groups. From Kilkenny, he was taught predominantly by the great Waterford piper, Tommy Kearney but received many lessons from Joe Doyle, Nollaig MacCárthaigh, Pat Mitchell and Mick O’Brien, amongst others. He has been a regular participant at the Willie Clancy Summer School and the many piping tionóls over the past 25 years. His father organized the annual Tionól Tommy Kearney piping weekend in Kilkenny every November. In 2008, this piper worked at Na Píobairí Uilleann, an experience that fostered his love of uilleann pipe-making, which is a hobby that he enjoys immensely. He has a particular interest in the work of the classic makers from the 1800s such as Coyne, Kenna and Egan.

          Richie Piggott is originally from Cobh, Co. Cork. He has a technical background in Enzymology and
Molecular Biology and is now working in the Food Industry in the US, based in Chicago, for over 20 years. He comes from a very musical family and, although not a musician himself, he has always been interested in Irish traditional music and musicians and has built a large personal library of books and early manuscripts on the subject. Richie has now published his reasearch on Irish music in Chicasgo from 1920-2020 in a book entitiled Cry of a People Gone and also opened an Archive of manuscirpts recordings and storytelling on his website richipiggott.com

An East Coast native, Will Woodson lived in Glasgow, Scotland and New York City before moving to Portland, Maine, where he’s quickly grown to become a stalwart of the thriving Irish traditional music scene around New England. On the flute, he’s heavily influenced by the music of the older generations of North Connacht flute players, particularly those who recorded in America in the 1920s and 30s; on the pipes, he’s inspired by the Irish-American tradition of pipers such as Patsy Touhey, Michael Carney, Bernard Delaney, and Michael Gallagher. Will toured extensively with the band Daymark, and these days performs with his duet partner, fiddler Caitlin Finley. The two released an album, "The Glory Reel", accompanied by Chris "Junior" Stevens in 2019. Over the course of the pandemic, Will and Caitlin produced a regular online video series, “The Phonograph Project”, featuring music drawn from Irish musicians recorded in America in the 1920s and 30s.  Will has taught and performed at a number of music festivals and summer schools in North America, including the Boxwood Festival and The Pipers’ Gathering. When he’s not performing and teaching, Will keeps busy as a maker of uilleann pipes. More on Will can be found over at woodsonfinley.com.

       Currently based in Boston, Joey divides his attention between performance, teaching, and recording. In addition to performing solo, he performs with his wife, old-style step dancer Jaclyn O'Riley and his fiddle partner Nathan Gourley. While at home, he organizes the meetings of the Boston Pipers Club, teaches privately, and plays in The Greater Boston Area.