Who am I?
Michel started learning to play the bagpipes in 1982 at the age of 10 with the Concord Pipe Band from Hengelo, The Netherlands.
In the Netherlands he played with a number of other bands as well, most notably the City of Amsterdam Pipe Band (at that time one of the leading European continental pipe bands).
In 2004 he moved to New Zealand and took up tuition with Lewis Turrell MBE, the first non Scottish winner of the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting. Under his guidance he progressed to regular placings at B-grade level solo competitions.
Between 2008-2012 he was Musical Director/Pipe-Major of the Otahuhu and Districts Pipe Band, winning the New Zealand Championship, grade 4B in 2012.
From 2012 he started teaching bagpipes and drums at a number of schools around Auckland, like at Dilworth School for Boys, Kings College, Pinehurst College and Sacred Heart College, and offering private tuition, either in the shop or through Skype.
Currently he is involved with the City of Manukau Pipes and Drums and helps the band with the preparations to go to the National Championships for the first time in their existence.
He plays regularly at all kinds of events, from weddings and funerals, to sports events, celebrations, memorial services, birthday parties and so on.
