Funerals
(U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ryan Conroy)
As a piper I am often asked to play at funerals. Rarely is a sound so moving, or more fitting, as the moment when one hears Amazing Grace rolling through a cemetery.
A funeral is a very personal and emotional time for those of us left behind and the planning process for a service can be overwhelming. That being said, the time and place for utilizing the bagpipes is really a personal choice. Below are some common practices for your consideration:
Funeral Services
- Before the service the piper may play to announce the arrival of the hearse or lead the pallbearers procession into the church or funeral home.
- During the service is not as common, but sometimes the family will ask the piper to play a tune that holds special meaning to the family.
- At the end/after the service the piper may play as the pallbearers process to the hearse or lead the mourners as they exit the church or funeral home.
Gravesides
- The piper may escort the pallbearers from the hearse to the graveside.
- Often a piper is asked to play as the casket is lowered or as loved ones place flowers on the casket.
- As the mourners depart it is common for the piper to play a lament.
Suggested tunes:
- Going Home
- Amazing Grace
- The Flower of Scotland
- Highland Cathedral
- The Green Hills of Tyrol
- When the Battle is Over
- The Sands of Kuwait