It almost sounds like faint praise to say that Kathryn Tickell has done more than anyone in recent memory to introduce international audiences to the Northumbrian smallpipes, a relatively quiet, melodic, and sweet-sounding member of the British Isles bagpipe family that's a borders cousin of its better-known Scottish Highland and Irish Uillean relatives. After all, there just aren't that many other people traveling the world to take the stage with that particular sort of chanter-sprouting, elbow-pumped air bag under their arm.