Some instructors teach via Skype or using other on-line tools. Learning piping from a book is rarely sufficient for bagpipes. Most pipers will recommend that you find an instructor. Your music background and experience will certainly help you, but the bagpipes are a very peculiar instrument. In particular you might seek out Jori Chisholm http://www.bagpipelessons.com/ . (Jori is pronounced Yori). Also Murray Henderson http://www.hendersonreedmakers.com/tuition. Both gentlemen are award winning pipers and excellent teachers.
Good luck.
Clyde