Tim Benson

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Ohio native Tim Benson became interested in the uilleann pipes as a teenager. Involvement with the Ulster Project at that time exposed him to recordings of traditional Irish music, and spawned his interest in the pipes. Some of his earliest influences came through recordings of the Chieftains and of Joe McKenna. After attaining a practice set of pipes made by Michael Brennan of East Lake, OH, Tim received introductory lessons from Michael Kilbane through the Academy of Irish Music in Cleveland, OH. He later received more advanced tuition from piper Kieran O'Hare, and attended influential workshops at Scoil Acla in 2002 with Ciaran O'Malley and Robbie Hannan. He began teaching uilleann pipes at the Riley School of Irish Music in Cincinnati, OH while attending college at Xavier University. For several years Tim enjoyed performing at a wide array of venues around the mid-west, both independently and with Irish traditional groups Silver Arm and with the Cleveland-based Portersharks. He recorded albums with both groups, and appeared on The Road to Riley, a recording of Riley School faculty. Driven by a desire to acquire a deeper understanding of the instrument, Tim devoted himself to making uilleann pipes after settling in Western New York in December 2006. He is joined in this venture by his partner Stephanie Cornelius, a fiddle player and mechanical engineer from Western New York, who provides design & fabrication support, and makes hand-stitched bags and bellows. Together they work to produce sets of all configurations in their shop located 30 miles east of Buffalo. Tim primarily works with the traditional turnery woods associated with bagpipe making, such as ebony, the rosewoods, and boxwood. Brass and nickel silver are employed for the metal work. He has a great appreciation for pipes made by classic makers such as Leo Rowsome and the Taylor brothers, and has been influenced greatly through the invaluable guidance of a few modern masters.



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