Kevin Dugas

Born in Inverness, Cape Breton, Kevin Dugas has been playing the great highland bagpipe for more than 25 years. Growing up he was surrounded by family and local tradition bearers who played the fiddle, piano, pipes, and step danced. Kevin was inspired musically by his Scottish and Acadian roots, and the many great traditional musicians from Inverness County. With a family history of piping and music tradition, notably among his great-grandfather’s family, Hughie Dan MacDonnell of Deepdale Road, Kevin took to the pipes naturally, beginning at 10 years of age. As a professional class competitive bagpiper and composer, Kevin traveled the world as a member of the 78th Highlanders Halifax Citadel Grade 1 Pipe Band for 17 years. Kevin currently competes with the Peel Regional Police grade 2 pipe band based out of Brampton, Ontario. Some of Kevin’s influential piping mentors over the years include John MacLean, Bruce Gandy, Matt MacIsaac, and Alasdair Gillies. Kevin has also performed with the traditional piping group Nuallan at festivals locally and internationally including the William Kennedy Piping Festival in Armagh, Northern Ireland.