“Nothing strikes the heart with emotion more than the sound of bagpipes playing Amazing Grace at a funeral. That IS the reason why bagpipes are played at a funeral.” Mark VanCamp-Funeral Director
Forrest Cormany – Professional Bagpiper
From the haunting, eternal melody of a slow aire to the lilt of a quick march, the sound of the pipes has moved and touched hearts thru the ages. Rich in history and with an unparalleled nobility of spirit, the bagpipe brings an added dimension of pomp and ceremony to any service. No other instrument captures and sets the mood of the moment. No other instrument so touches the heart, perhaps the very soul.
Forrest Cormany has dedicated a lifetime to the instrument and culture.
Southern California’s Premiere Piper
Listen to samples of Forrest playing pipes.
Forrest at age 11
Forrest was born into a Scottish family who emigrated from Scotland to Canada in the early 1900’s. He had Scottish family members fight with the London Scottish regiment and also the Canadian military during WWI. A number of family members still live in Canada, where his mother was born. He also has family in New Zealand. Forrest’s love of the bagpipes started practically at birth. As an infant he was rocked to sleep in his cradle to bagpipe recordings and as a toddler he marched around his grandfathers den with a set of toy bagpipes playing along with the Scots Guards and the Black Watch bagpipe band recordings.
William Young
Forrest began instruction on the pipes at age 11, taking lessons from members of the original Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band, and after a few years playing in the juvenile band he was moved up to the adult grade 1 band. Through Forrest’s adult career he has played with the western united states grade 2 champion Los Angeles Police Pipe Band.
He most recently re united with the Los Angeles Scottish grade 1 Pipe Band competing at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow Scotland where they placed 11th in the world, the highest placing American band in grade 1 since American bands have been competing at the world championships in Scotland. **Authors note: A “piper” may be able to bluff his way into getting himself hired for an event by saying “I’ve been playing for 30 years!” That could just mean he’s been playing poorly for 30 years! But there is no way to bluff yourself into a grade 1 band and compete against the best in the world.
Forrest still wears Williams original cap badge
In addition to his years as a professional piper, Forrest is also licensed by the State as a funeral director. With fifteen years of service, he understands the challenges and concerns not only of the family, but also their funeral director and clergy. He is familiar with the needs and traditions of the Catholic Church, the Mormon Faith and Protestant services.