Maolisa Irish Step Dance
Maolisa means " Follower of Jesus Christ"
Glenn Chatfield - The Piper
Glenn's Biography
I've always liked the bagpipes since seeing movies with them, and then when I
was in the Army we had a piper from Canada who I liked listening to. So I
bought my first pipe band record right after I got out in 1975. After I
married Jill in 1976 I kept telling her that "one of these days I'm going to
learn how to play the bagpipes." I guess she got tired of listening to me
make a claim and not act on it so she gave me a practice chanter and lessons
for Christmas 1982. In January 1983 I began training with the Tunes of Glory
Pipes and Drums in Aurora, IL, where we were living at the time. I was finally
able to buy my pipes that November and in May 1984 I was piping in my first
parade. I played with Tunes of Glory for parades, concerts and competitions
over the next 11 years until my family moved to Iowa in December 1995. By
that time the band had moved to Warrenville, IL, where I believe they still
operate out of the City Hall.
Jill had begun Highland Dancing in 1983 and two years later when our
daughter Emily was seven she began dancing also. We then began doing
performances as a family group in addition to the band activities. In
1993 when our son was eleven he took up the snare drum and we now
performed under the title "A Wee Bit O' Scotland," a title under which
I still play today.
Over the years I lost my dancers - Jill to leg injuries and Emily to
losing interest - but David and I still did parades and festivals until
2001 when he married and moved away, leaving me back to being a solo
performer except when I get together with the Iowa Scottish Pipes and
Drums when they come to Cedar Rapids.
My wife and I knew two of Maolisa's dancers when we met Kaleena Munson
and her troupe at the 2004 Celtic Fest. My wife offered my services to
Kaleena and I began playing with Maolisa in March the following year.
Originally I just played short intermissions while the dancers changed
shoes or took a breather, but then I recognized one of their tunes was
one I played so I offered to play for the dance, which was the Easy
Jig. Since that time we've done a few more dances together.
I still perform yearly at the Celtic Fest, and also play yearly for the
Iowa Firefighters Memorial Service in Coralville. I also keep active in
local parades and have played for dozens of weddings, funerals and
other events.
Send Glenn an e-mail