Dirk Mewes lives in Berthoud Colorado, and plays Irish music on the uilleann pipes and whistle. He enjoys playing in Irish music sessions along the Front Range, and has performed on stage at festivals with the group “Down the Back Lane.” He has recorded and performed uilleann pipes with several Colorado musicians, including Julie Hoest, Dave Villano, and Chuck Pile. He has found many opportunities to learn from helpful Irish musicians as they visit Colorado, and he has traveled to Ireland and around the US to take the learning to a deeper level. In 2006, he built a workshop in his back yard barn, and began the process of learning to make the uilleann pipes. He now makes and sells his own sets of pipes. He has taught workshops for piping students on how to make their own reeds for the pipes, and at his workshop, he instructs several local students on how to play the instrument.