Photo courtesy of Dr Gary Brown & the Celtic Arts Federation.

Murray Henderson is one of the world’s premier solo pipers and comes from a piping background. He was born in Timaru, New Zealand and learned piping first from his father, and later from other top pipers in that country—such as Donald Bain and David Boyle. He emigrated to Scotland as a young man, where he studied under the great pipers of the day, and started to make his mark on the competitive scene in Scotland.

Throughout the 1970s and '80s, Murray won all the top prizes, many more than once, including qualifying for the Glenfiddich event 20 times in 21 years, from 1975 to 1995. After winning the Piobaireachd event at the Glenfiddich in 1995, he took a number of years off from the competition scene, before returning in 2002, and winning the Clasp at Inverness in 2003. 

Murray has also been well known for  a number of years as a maker of very high quality reeds, and 2004 saw the Murray's introduction of the Strathmore chanter and Strathmore bagpipes. Murray runs the Strathmore company with his wife Patricia, also a Gold Medal level player, with an impressive competition resume.

In 2006, Murray again won the coveted Clasp, this time playing a full set of his own Strathmore bagpipes with Henderson reeds. This earned him a front page and the title of the "Comeback Kid" in the Piping Times. Murray has made a great many recordings, including "Worlds Greatest Pipers Vol 4", and you can see him on YouTube,  but this is a rare chance to hear the man for yourself.