Composition
Marsha is a prolific composer of both Light Music and
Piobaireachd, the classical form of bagpipe music, and is
internationally recognized for her music.

She has written "signature" tunes for several bands,
including:
  • The Charlotte Fire Department Pipe Band
  • The City of Winchester Pipes and Drums
  • The Northern Virginia Firefighters Emerald Society Pipe Band
  • Port Authority (NY) Police Pipes and Drums
  • The Washington, DC Regional Police Pipe Band   

    Marsha's piobaireachdan include "Lament for Space Shuttle
    Colombia," written three days after the tragedy, and "Lament
    for PFC Lori Piestewa", in memory of the first woman killed
    in the Iraq War.

    A framed copy of Marsha's tune, "The National Piping Centre
    at Shenandoah University", composed in 2003 to honor The
    National Piping Centre's first summer school in the US, hangs
    in The National Piping Centre in Glasgow, Scotland.

    Marsha composed a lovely slow air entitled "Lament for HMS
    ARDENT" in response to reading an account of ARDENT's
    sinking in 1982 during the Falklands War. ARDENT was the
    sister ship of the Scots Guards at the time. Many Guardsmen
    and seamen knew each other, and ARDENT's loss was
    deeply felt in the 2nd. Battallion. The Scots Guards have asked
    permission to include the tune in Volume III of Scots Guards
    Standard Settings For Pipe Music, which is currently being
    compiled. Although there is no guarantee that the tune will
    be included, Marsha considers it a great honor that they
    asked. As a footnote, Commander Alan West, Captain of HMS
    ARDENT, later became Admiral Alan West, First Sea Lord.

    Five of Marsha's tunes are included in the Toneczar Collection,
    published by Chris Hamilton, and is available through Toneczar.com.
    This is a wonderful book, and Marsha enthusiastically recommends
    it. Two of Marsha's tunes from this collection received favorable
    reviews in New Zealand Pipe Band Magazine.

    Marsha has competed with tunes she composed. In 2003, she
    won the Grade 3 6/8 March at the Tartan Day Festival Amateur
    Piping Competition with "Royal Corps of Signals," a tune
    whose composition was requested by Lt. Col. Andrew Trimble
    R-Signals of the British Embassy in Washington, DC.

    Historical events, the morning news, happy and sad occasions
    - they all give Marsha Bell inspiration for tunes.

    Marsha composes tunes on commission.  Please     contact her for details.
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