Patrick Molard

(1951 - )

Patrick Molard comes from a long and extremely rich tradition of Breton pipers who have embraced the Highland pipe in their native France and helped to expand both the Breton and Highland piping traditions.

He was born in 1951 in St Malo, Brittany. He began learning pipes in 1965 with the bagad Quic-en-Groigne (St Malo) and the An Ere Bagad from Rennes, where he met Jakez Pincet, who became his first significant teacher. Jakez knew the Scottish competitive scene well and subsequently encouraged Patrick to study with the two great Scottish pipers Robert Brown and Robert Nicol. Patrick worked on nearly 100 piobaireachd with “the Bobs” and he credits them with teaching him not only the technique of piobaireachd, but also its spirit, philosophy, lights and shades.

On his return to Brittany, he played the traditional biniou koz and the bombard and delved deeply into the soul of Breton musical traditions. He has played for many years at weddings and festoù-noz with such traditional Breton musicians as Pierre Crepillon and Youenn le Bihan. Contact with well-known Kan-ha-diskan singers led to a keen interest in the gavotte and fisel styles. He also learned how to play the Irish uilleann pipes in Ireland from the great Irish piper Liam O’Flynn.

A creative spirit, Patrick has composed a great deal of music and made many recordings with various Breton groups and artists, including Alan Stivell, Dan Ar Braz, Jacques Pellen, Pennou Skoulm, Gwerz and others. He has five piping CDs to his credit, including his 2008 release of piobaireachd “The Waking of the Bridegroom,” available by clicking here.

For more information on Patrick Molard, click here.

November 2007