Born into Clan MacGregor, Elise grew up marching weekly behind Eastern Canada’s 100-year old Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band, during all of her childhood summers. Nowadays, she performs and competes year-round with California’s Monterey Bay Pipe Band, and performs seasonally with the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band. Her solo performances include being a seasonal phantom piper at Kincardine harbor’s historical lighthouse, giving concerts at Silver Mountain Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and bagpiping for private and corporate events in Santa Cruz and the San Francisco Bay Area. Elise also plays bagpipes and fiddle with Celtic band Charmas.
Private clients have praised Elise for having a professional attitude, gracefully adapting to last-minute schedule changes, setting a reverent mood, and performing her ceremonial tunes with nice artistic expression.
Her green tartan is a modern version of the MacGregor tartan, while for Monterey Bay Pipe Band she wears the MacKenzie tartan.
Her solo Great Highland bagpipes were custom-built by Roddy MacLellan of North Carolina. With Charmas, she plays a set of Pettigrew Great Highland bagpipes. And for small venues with Charmas, she plays quieter Garvie session pipes, made by Nigel Richards.
Bagpiper For Hire in California's south SF bay Area 