Brian Bigley and the Soul of a Cleveland Irish Christmas

Brian Bigley is one of the great torchbearers of Irish traditional music in Northeast Ohio – and one of its most distinctive voices. A master of the uilleann pipes, the uniquely complex Irish bagpipe known for its haunting, expressive tone, Bigley is also an accomplished whistle player, step dancer, and instrument maker. Over the past two decades, he has built a national reputation performing with ensembles such as Apollo’s Fire and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, while remaining deeply rooted in the Cleveland community that raised him.

Each winter, his artistry takes on a special resonance. As producer and performer of A Celtic Christmas, Bigley has become synonymous with the season for Irish music fans across Ohio. His performances combine precision, warmth, and the unmistakable feeling of home – reminding audiences that the heart of Irish music has always been its people.

The Making of a Musician

Bigley’s story begins in Lakewood, just across the street from the Chirdon’s, a big Irish Catholic family known for their “house sessions,” lively evenings of music, dance, tea, scones, and storytelling. “They would host ‘house sessions’ in which musicians and dancers would be invited to come and play, drink tea and eat scones, tell stories and otherwise make merry,” Bigley recalls. “I would later find out that this is not unlike the tradition of the ‘rambling house’ in Ireland.”

These sessions shaped his sense of community and creativity. “It was at these gatherings that I was first exposed to the joy of the music and humor of storytellers and knew that I wanted to be part of that as much as possible,” he said.

Bigley’s mother recognized her son’s growing fascination and signed him up for dance lessons with Cleveland’s Bob Masterson and later Cathy Leneghan, followed by uilleann pipe lessons with the great Achill Island piper Michael Kilbane.

“These folks were very accessible as a result of living in this ‘big, small town’ of Cleveland,” Bigley says. “And despite living in Chicago and New York, where the standard of music is very high, I was drawn back to Cleveland by the quality of the people in our community.”

The Heart of Christmas

That sense of community came full circle when Bigley joined Tomáseen Foley’s, A Celtic Christmas, now celebrating its twentieth year. The invitation came by chance.

“A dear friend of mine, Tim Benson  – formerly of Francis Quinn’s band, The Portersharks, got a call from Tom Foley asking if he would be interested in playing pipes in his show,” Bigley recalls. “Tim wasn’t available, but passed along my number, and I jumped at the chance.”

The first show, with Foley and guitarist William Coulter, was “absolutely magical.” What struck Bigley most was how it mirrored those early Chirdon house sessions. “They managed to pull off, on stage, what I experienced at the Chirdon’s house when I was a child – genuinely beautiful music, hilarious and heartwarming stories, and the excitement of the hard shoe dancing.”

Two decades later, Bigley continues to produce and perform A Celtic Christmas in Northeast Ohio, now joined by his wife, Kristen. “Without spoiling the story featured in ‘A Celtic Christmas,’” he says, “my favorite moment is at the end of the program when the story resolves into what we call ‘The Heart of Christmas.’ Ethereal Christmas music and neighborly hospitality generating, in real time, the emotional and transcendent reality of the Spirit of Christmas.”

A Celtic Christmas

“We are so grateful that people support us and see in the show what I saw twenty years ago,” Bigley says.

“Many have made it a yearly tradition. One year, we had an audience spontaneously stand and sing ‘Silent Night’ with us.”

This year, A Celtic Christmas will return to Northeast Ohio with two performances:

Sunday, November 16 at 2:00 PM at the Hanna Theatre in Playhouse Square, and

Sunday, December 7 at 2:00 PM at the Medina Performing Arts Center.

The Craftsman’s Touch

Beyond the stage, Bigley is also a meticulous craftsman. His journey into pipe making began during his high school days. “I realized quickly that I would not be able to get a replacement reed or part at the local music store,” he laughs. So he started learning to make reeds from Michael Brennan, a singer and guitar player on Cleveland’s East Side.

After high school, Bigley worked for Seth Gallagher, a prolific uilleann pipe maker in New York. “It was at this time I spent my first Christmas away from home in Ireland, where I was privileged to meet some old musicians in their homes around the holidays with my friend and great fiddle player John Daly.”

The experience deepened his understanding of the music’s roots and its enduring presence in everyday life. “Learning to make the pipes has been indispensable as a performer,” he says. “Recently, I’ve had the great opportunity to play with some of the best orchestras in North America, including the Detroit Symphony and Apollo’s Fire, where the highest standard of musicianship is an everyday occurrence.”

Family, Tradition and Community

Music has not only defined Bigley’s career – it’s shaped his family life as well. “I met my long-suffering wife, Kristen, at The Plank Road Tavern in Lakewood at a traditional music session,” he says fondly. “Our mutual friend, Jim Stamper, another musician, set us up very sneakily.”

That meeting would lead to a shared life steeped in music and community. “The music has a way of bringing people together, and anywhere you go in the world, if you can find a session, you’ll find friends. Even Tokyo, Japan, has an Irish pipers’ club.”

Their children, James and Kathleen, are continuing the tradition. “James plays snare in the 87th Cleveland Pipe Band and takes lessons from Michael Crowley. Kathleen plays the harp and takes lessons from our dear friend Tiffany Schaefer.”

For Bigley, Cleveland’s network of musicians and teachers ensures the future of the tradition. “It’s great to have this community of quality people with a common interest in producing and preserving great traditional music.”

Bigley’s optimism for the next generation of musicians is contagious. “There are so many great teachers of music and dance in Cleveland, one can’t help but be optimistic about the effect of it on the people of Northeast Ohio.” He and Kristen plan to continue producing A Celtic Christmas for years to come alongside their group, the Cleveland Celtic Ensemble.

The Bigley’s are also organizing a trip to Ireland next July with their friend, organist Bob McMurray; they continue to host traditional music concerts in partnership with piper Brian Holleran at Il Rione Pizzeria; and with The Mayo Society.

“To keep up with all our events,” he adds, “people can sign up for our email newsletter at kbbproductions.net. And if you’re interested in the uilleann pipes, check out brianbigleymusic.com.”

Whether he’s crafting a reed, teaching a tune, or playing the first haunting notes of “The Heart of Christmas,” Brian Bigley continues to embody what’s best about Irish music in Cleveland – heart, humor, and home. Each December, as the lights dim and the pipes begin to sing, the audience feels it too: the spirit of community that has carried Irish tradition across generations and oceans, right back to where it belongs.

References

• Personal interview with Brian Bigley
• Brian Bigley Music. (n.d.). Official website. https://www.brianbigleymusic.com
• Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas. (n.d.). https://www.tomaseenfoley.com
• Apollo’s Fire. (n.d.). Brian Bigley: Uilleann Pipes and Irish Dance. https://apollosfire.org
• The Medina Gazette. (2022, December). Celtic Christmas brings Irish traditions to life.
• KBB Productions. (n.d.). Upcoming events and performances. https://kbbproductions.net