Born in Edinburgh Scotland, Richard moved to Canada at the age of three and at ten began tuition under his father, Pipe Major Eric Kean. Richard continued his tuition with several prominent Canadian pipers including, Rene Cuson, Rob Rife, and Allan W [+]Born in Edinburgh Scotland, Richard moved to Canada at the age of three and at ten began tuition under his father, Pipe Major Eric Kean. Richard continued his tuition with several prominent Canadian pipers including, Rene Cuson, Rob Rife, and Allan Walters. By his late teens Richard began exploring the highland bagpipe outside of it's traditional setting. Bands such as Na Caber Feidh (Who went on to become Rare Air), Borne and MacLeod, Robert Matheson's first solo album, and the 78th Fraiser Highlanders all greatly influenced Richards interest in expanding the repertoire of the Highland Bagpipe
Together with Duane Colley and Bruce MacKay, two other native Albertans, Richard formed the group MacBOFA and began developing new styles and compositions for the Highland bagpipe. Richard later moved back to Edinburgh where he teamed up with Pipe Major Lindsay Davidson, B.Mus. edu. forming the pipe duet Teribus. Teribus traveled extensively throughout Europe and produced two albums featuring strong traditional bagpipe music and new compositions by Richard and Lindsay. Richard also participated in the formation of Stockbridge Pipe Band, Edinburgh and was pipe sergeant for three years until returning to Canada.
After a year in Winnipeg, Richard moved to Houston Texas and soon joined the Hamilton Pipe Band, a successful competition band based in Houston now renamed the St. Thomas Alumni Pipe band. In early 2000 Richard added Scottish Highland and Small pipes to the upbeat Celtic group from Austin Poor Man's Fortune. Joining Poor Man's Fortune has allowed Richard to express his love of traditional music and innovation with new arrangements, Blending Irish, Scottish and Breton traditions. Not content to play in just one band, Richard soon after joined the celtic-rock band Jiggernaut and more recently the re-invented Celtic/Americana group Beyond the Pale. From traditional, to avant-guard, to straight up rock and roll, the combination of these bands presented an opportunity to contribute to the redeveloping role of bagpipes in modern music.
In 2001 Richard formed the performance troupe Tartanic to explore the realm of mixing theater with music. Playing in Schools, festival, and concerts, Tartanic brings the roll of the bagpipes beyond a stric
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