Faculty
Faculty – 2023
(Subject to Change) Many thanks to our amazing Volunteer Faculty, Performers, and Adjudicators
Callum Beaumont
Murray Blair
Hugh Cameron
Jori Chisholm
Stephen Creighton
Andrew Douglas
Ken Eller
Christina Henry
Simon Hodgett
Jake Jørgensen
Jack Lee
Terry Lee
Stuart Liddell
Roddy MacLeod MBE
J. Reid Maxwell
Willie McCallum
Fred Morrison
Richard Parkes MBE
Jim Sim
Bob Worrall
Callum Beaumont – Piping 
Callum Beaumont resides in Dollar, Clackmannanshire and is currently an instructor at Dollar Academy. His tutors have included Bert Smith, Tom Speirs, and currently Willie McCallum. Callum has played with the Lothian and Borders Police Pipe band, Shotts & Dykehead, Simon Fraser University and Inveraray and District Pipe Band.
His pipe band prizes include winning the World Pipe Band championships four times, twice with Simon Fraser University, once with Shotts & Dykehead and most recently with Inveraray and District. As Pipe Major of Dollar Academy Pipe Band (Novice A), Callum has won five consecutive Champion of Champions titles. In 2018 he led the band to the Grand Slam including the band’s first World Title in the grade.
Solo piping achievements include; Northern Meetings, Inverness – Clasp (four – 2012,2015,2018,2019), Highland Society of London Gold Medal (2013); Argyllshire Gathering, Oban – Highland Society of London Gold Medal (2011), Silver Medal (2006), MacGregor Memorial (2003), Open Jigs (2011); London- Bratach Gorm (2016), Former Winners MSR (three-2014,2015,2018), Overall Winner (three- 2014,2016,2018), A grade MSR (2009); Donald MacLeod Memorial, Stornoway – Piobaireachd (two-2013,2019), Overall Winner (2013); Dunvegan, Skye – Silver Chanter (2013), Dunvegan Medal (2014), Clasp to the Dunvegan Medal (2014), Overall Winner (2014); The Metro Cup (USA) – Piobaireachd (two-2016,2017), Medley (three-2014,2017,2019), Overall Winner (five-2014,2016,2017,2018,2019); The Masters, National Piping Centre- Piobaireachd (2013); Uist and Barra- Piobaireachd (two-2016,2017), Overall Winner (two-2016,2017); Donald MacDonald Quaich, Skye- (2017); Braemar Highland Gathering- Gold Medal (2014), Overall Winner (2014); Springbank Invitational, Campbeltown-Overall Winner (2018), Hornpipe and Jig (two-2013,2015), 6/8 March (2016); Inveraray Highland Games- Open March (two-2013,2015); and Lochaber- Lochaber Axe Piobaireachd (2016).
Murray Blair – Piping 
Murray’s family immigrated from Scotland to Australia in the 1940’s. Taught by his father, Donald Blair OAM, Murray played with the Victoria Police Pipe Band (Warrnambool, Australia), to include recorded the albums “Uphold the Right,” “Live in Ireland,” “Live in the Rockies (USA)” and “Masterblasters.”
The Victoria Police Pipe Band won the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championships in 1998, and Murray also released his piping book ‘Philharmonic’. Six of the nine tunes played by the Victoria Police at the 1998 World Championships were written by Murray. On the Australian solo piping boards, he won the Silver Medal Piobaireachd at the RU Brown competition however developed focal dystonia and ceased competitive piping. He maintained involvement in the local piping community and a founding member of the Victorian Pipers Association, an organisation dedicated to teaching and fostering piping.
Murray has also worked extensively in broadcast television recording in remote locations of Africa, Asia, and Australia, and landmark venues such as the Lincoln Centre NYC and the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall in Scotland. As a piper and audio engineer, Murray now resides in Melbourne combining technical and musical knowledge to produce electronic bagpipe tuners, the Bagpiper Case (with Ian Lyons), Bagpipe Tuner App and the Blair Digital Chanter. Formally trained as an Audio Engineer with BBC accreditation, Murray developed a bespoke technique for recording bagpipes and relocated to Scotland in 2004 to commercially produce piping albums. His recording/ producing credits include:
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band Re:charged, Re:wind, Replay, IMPACT
Inverary & District – Ascension
Simon Fraser University – On Home Ground 1 & 2, Live in New York, Affirmation
St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band – Turas Ceoil @ Resume
Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia- La Boum Ecosse, Rise
Scottish Power – Cathcart
Manawatu Scottish Twelve Thousand Miles, The Calling
Vale of Athol Pipe Band – Live from Frankfurt, Germany
Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band – Terra Incognito
Roddy S MacDonald Good Drying
Alasdair Gillies LochBroom
Gordon Duncan Just for Gordon
Roddy MacLeod – Piobaireachd
National Piping Centre Masters competition & Recital series
Lord Todd Piping Recital Challenge – Scotland
The Northern Meeting & SPA Knockout series- Pipeline BBC Radio Scotland
Hugh Cameron – Snare Drumming 
Hugh Cameron, Toronto, Canada has been a professional drumming instructor for over forty years; has taught and adjudicated throughout North America, and has developed a thorough teaching method for drummers of all ages and abilities.
Hugh has over 20 years’ experience in Grade 1 pipe bands as well as having won most solo drumming titles in Ontario, Canada including three consecutive Champion Supreme Awards for professional drumming.
Hugh’s principle instructor was the late Alex Duthart.
Hugh is the proprietor of Cameron’s Drumming Studio which distributes a wide variety of pipe band drumming products. Cameron’s Drumming Studio is the Major Sponsor of the Cameron’s Drumming Studio – MHAF North American Amateur Snare Drumming Championships.
Jori Chisholm – Piping
Jori Chisholm is a piper, composer, teacher, and inventor who lives in Seattle, Washington, USA. Jori is a successful solo competitor winning prizes including theMHAF Gold Medal for Piobaireachd four times and many top awards around the world including at Scotland’s Argyllshire Gathering, Northern Meeting, Cowal Highland Gathering, Royal Braemar Gathering, and other competitions. Jori was a member of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band for 19 years and played with the band when they won the Grade One World Pipe Band Championships three times and performed at the Sydney Opera House, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, and at New York’s Lincoln Center. Jori founded his pioneering website BagpipeLessons.com in 1999 with the goal of providing high-quality information for anyone wanting to learn the pipes. Jori was the first piper to offer bagpipe lessons online via webcam, starting in 2003. Jori has taught thousands of pipers around the world through one-on-one lessons and through his BagpipeLessons.com Inner Circle Membership which includes live online video group classes and an online library of hundreds of tunes and lessons on every piping topic imaginable.
Jori started the world’s first online piping competition, the World Online Piping & Drumming Championships, which has grown to be the world’s biggest and best-known online competition for pipers and drummers with over 11,000 total entries.
Jori has invented many successful products for pipers including the patented and award-winning Tone Protector™ Chanter Cap and Tone Protector™ Reed Case for digital, humidity controlled reed storage to keep reeds at the perfect, stable humidity level and always ready to play, the popular Bagpipe Gauge, the best tool for helping pipers learn to blow their pipes strong and steady, The Piper’s Ultimate Reed Poker, which extends the life of reeds, the Piper’s Advantage™ Bagpipe Phone Mount, the world’s first bagpipe phone mount for smartphones and metronomes, the Perfect Angle™ Blowpipe Positioner which allows the blowpipe position to be precisely adjusted for ideal posture, optimal ergonomics, greatest stamina and most overall comfort, the Piper’s Metronome™ app designed specifically for the unique features of bagpipe music.
Stephen Creighton – Snare Drumming
Stephen Creighton is the lead drummer of the current World, UK, and British drumming champions St Laurence O’Toole pipe band from Dublin, Ireland.
Solo honors include 1989 World Junior Champion, 26 World Solo Finals, 5 Senior all Ireland drumming Championships and 3 Ulster Senior Championships. With his corps, Stephen has won 13 Grade 1 all Ireland drumming prizes and was crowned the 2006 , 2010 , 2015 , 2016 , 2018 and 2019 World Grade 1 Drumming prize winners.
Currently Stephen has 20 major titles including Europe, Scottish, and British titles .On a local level his drum corps has 13 grade 1 All Ireland drumming titles. Stephen is married to Amanda and has four children; Stephen Junior, Keith, Glen and Hannah.
Andrew Douglas – Piping
Andrew is a prolific practitioner of the bagpipe, having been active at the highest level of pipe bands, solo competition, teaching, and creative endeavors for the past 20 years. He’s also the founder and creator of Dojo U and of PipersDojo.com.
Some of his credentials are:
Founder, Creator, and CEO of the Piper’s Dojo and Dojo University
2017 & 2019 World Champion with Inveraray and District Pipe Band
2017 Winner of USA Silver Medal for Piobaireachd
2008-2013 Pipe Major of Grade 1 Oran Mor Pipe Band
Multi-prize winner, Silver Medals at Oban and Inverness
Former Winner of B-Grade Strathspey/Reel at Oban (2004)
Accredited Bagpipe Teacher and Examiner with the Scottish Qualifications Authority
EUSPBA Adjudicator
Ken Eller – Piping
Ken Eller, also known as “The Captain”, has had a 60 year piping career … 15 times a winner of the North American Pipe Band Championships with two bands: the 78th Fraser Highlanders (1992-2002) and as Pipe Major of the Clan MacFarlane Pipe Band
(1971 – 1987). He is now retired from active competition and has expanded his teaching career with on line lessons at www.thecaptainscorner.com. He has been a member of the Piper’s and Pipe Band Society of Ontario (PPBSO) since 1962 and is also a member of EUSPBA, the Eastern US Pipe Band Association. In 1984/85 he was admitted to the panel of Adjudicators for both of these organizations. Since 2005, he has been on the panel of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) as an international piping adjudicator.
Originally taught by Richard MacPherson, brother of Hugh MacPherson, the Edinburgh Highland Outfitter, he continued his studies under double Gold Medalist Pipe Major John Wilson, of Edinburgh and Toronto, through the 1960’s. During the
1980’s and early 1990’s he was a managing partner in the bagpipe-making firm of Dunbar-Eller, Ltd, presently Dunbar Bagpipes.
Ken teaches piping full time since retiring from a 32-year career as a mathematics professor at Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology. During the year, he teaches at various piping schools, judges at highland games in North America, Scotland and Northern Ireland, while instructing regular workshops for bands and individuals.
He has judged the Australian, European and World Championships (2012); the New Zealand, North American and World Championships in 2013, the Scottish and World Championships in 2014, the World Championships, 2015, the New Zealand Nationals
Christina Henry – Bass Drumming
Christina Henry began her involvement in the Scottish arts as a highland dancer at age 7. She qualified in 2000 and 2002 for the United States Inter-Regional Championships (USIR). Christina joined the Manchester Pipe Band in the late 90’s as a tenor drummer, and in the fall of 2001 became the bass drummer for the Grade 2 Oran Mor Pipe Band. Christina continued with Oran Mor on bass up through Grade 2 and into the 2011 Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championship finals.
In 2013, Christina joined the 78th Fraser Highlanders (Ontario, Canada) as a tenor drummer and became one of very few players in the world to compete in the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championship finals as both a bass and tenor drummer. As member of the 78th Frasers, Christina was part of three Grade 1 North American Championship victories and four finishes in the top 12 at the World Pipe Band Championships. Christina became the bass drummer for the band for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Currently, Christina is the bass drummer of the Grade 1 City of Dunedin Pipe Band out of Dunedin, FL.
As a solo competitor, Christina is an active professional bass and tenor competitor, having won the North American championships as a bass drummer. She is a certified Bass and Tenor Adjudicator with the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association. With over 20 years of competitive experience, she is highly sought after as an instructor and clinician throughout North America. Professionally, Christina is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist with Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia.
Simon Hodgett – Tenor Drumming 
Simon Hodgett hails from Blackskull, Northern Ireland. He began playing the snare drum at age 10, being tutored for numerous years by ex-Field Marshal Montgomery drummer Keith Gourley. During that same timeframe Simon was introduced to a pair of tenor sticks by pure chance, and it’s been a passion and obsession for him ever since.
In 2013 Simon joined St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band, this after a two year stint with the Northern Ireland band Seven Towers Pipe Band. Prior to Seven Towers, Simon played snare, tenor, and eventually bass drum for Banbridge Pipe Band.
“I’m very lucky to have been offered the opportunity to play under my drumming idols John Dunne and Stephen Creighton,” states Simon. With their excellent leadership he’s enjoyed successes in over 20 RSPBA & IPBA Major titles including four World Drumming Champion titles, and three Champion of Champion Grade 1 Drumming titles. In Northern Ireland & Ireland Simon continues to coordinate and instruct several bass sections and solo players.
Jake Jørgensen – Snare Drumming
Originally from Denmark, Jake started learning the drums at the age of 11 with the Copenhagen Caledonia Pipe Band and in the early years received instruction from local drummers Per Nørklit, Sven Harboe and Jens Hedegaard. He also took inspiration from visiting tutors, such as Tom Brown, Reid Maxwell, Eric Ward and Barry Wilson. In November 2000, Jake moved to Scotland to join the drum corps of the Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band, then led by Jim Kilpatrick MBE. During his time with Shotts he took part in winning all of the major championships, including the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championships in 2003 & 2005. During the same time, the Shotts drum corps won all 5 major championship titles several times over, including the World Drum Corps Title in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2014, and also seven Champion of Champions Drum Corps titles.
After 12 years with Shotts and 2 years leading the Grade 1 Lothian & Borders Police drum corps, Jake took on the Leading Drummer position with Grade 1 ScottishPower Pipe Band In October 2014. In his first season, he led the drum corps to a second place in drumming at the Scottish Championships and an overall 4th in drumming at the World Pipe Band Championships. The drum corps now features frequently in the top 3 at Major Championships and Jake led the ScottishPower Drum Corps to their first Championship drumming win at the 2019 Scottish Championships. Jake is a regular prize winner at the World Solo Drumming Championships and has placed 3rd on two occasions.
Jake works as a full time Drumming Instructor at George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh, where his pupils in both the Novice Juvenile A and Juvenile grades feature regularly in the top prizes at the RSPBA Majors and at the World Solo Drumming Championships. Heriot’s were crowned World Drum Corps Champions in the Novice Juvenile A in 2014 and the Juvenile corps were World Drum Corps Champions in 2017. Jake lives with his wife and their two young children, in Kirknewton, Scotland.
Jack Lee – Piping
For over 40 years, Jack Lee has been regarded as one of the world’s leading pipers. His accomplishments as a solo piper, pipe band leader and teacher cause him to be in great demand as a performer and teacher throughout the world. Jack is the only overseas piper to ever win the Glenfiddich Championship.
As a Solo Piper, winner of:
The Gold Medal (Inverness and Oban, Scotland)
The Gold Clasp (twice) (Inverness, Scotland)
The Glenfiddich Overall Championship (three) (Blair Atholl, Scotland)
The Glenfiddich Piobaireachd contest (six times) (Blair Atholl, Scotland)
The Glenfiddich MSR contest (Blair Atholl, Scotland)
The Senior Piobaireachd (twice) – (Oban, Scotland)
The Silver Star for former winners MSR (four times) (Inverness, Scotland)
The Silver Star for former winners MSR (Oban, Scotland)
The Bratach Gorm (three) (London, England)
The Gillies Cup (London, England)
The Masters Invitational (twice) (Glasgow, Scotland)
The Silver Chanter (Glasgow, Scotland)
17-times winner of the B.C. Pipers’ Association Annual Gathering
Jack has released a solo CD as part of Lismor’s World’s Greatest Piper Series
Jack has twice been voted “Piper of the Year” by Pipesdrums.com
In the Pipe Band world:
Jack is the Pipe Sergeant and co-founder of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. The band has won six World Championships. It has also been an extremely consistent prizewinner at the World Championships during the past 30 years, having won either 1st or 2nd on fifteen occasions. The band has recorded 11 CDs and two videos, including CDs at New York’s Carnegie Hall and the magnificent Sydney Opera House. Their youth band (Robert Malcolm Memorial) has won the World Juvenile Championships on four occasions..
As a Teacher:
Jack’s dedicates many hours per week to private instruction at home and online around the world via Skype. Several of Jack’s students have gone on to win major solo prizes in Scotland. Jack teaches at many workshops and piping schools throughout North America and beyond each year.
On a personal level:
Jack, and his brother Terry, were both awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by the Governor General of Canada in 1999 for outstanding service to the country. Jack and Terry were both awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Simon Fraser University in recognition of their contributions to the piping world. Jack and his sons (Andrew, Colin, and John) operate their family business making bagpipes, pipe bags and chanter reeds. In addition, Jack has made over 7,000 tunes from his own recording archives available on their website – Bagpipemusic.com.
Terry Lee – Piping
Pipe-Major Dr. Terry Lee is one of the most prominent and successful pipe band leaders in the world. Under his direction, the SFU Pipe Band captured the World Pipe Band Championship six times (1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2008 and 2009), and is one of only two bands in history to win both the Medley and MSR events at the World Championships more than once (MSR five times, Medley five times). Terry is also one of only seven Pipe Majors to win the World Championship more than twice.
His ability to produce superb band performances in both the contemporary and traditional style, and to significantly enhance the musicality and technique of his players is respected worldwide. Terry serves as manager of the well-known Scottish imports store, Tartantown. On September 10, 1999 P/M Terry Lee and P/S Jack Lee were each presented with Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal by Governor General Romeo LeBlanc in Quebec City, Quebec.
He has been the leader and musical director at the band’s concerts in many of the world’s most well-known venues including Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Centre in New York City, the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall, the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, and many others. In 2013, Terry and his brother Jack were presented with Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Simon Fraser University for their exemplary work with the pipe band.
Terry has retired as Pipe-Major of the SFUPB and has become a member the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Adjudicator’s Panel.
Stuart Liddell – Piping
Stuart Liddell, from Inveraray, started piping at the age of nine and was originally taught by his grandfather, the late Pipe Major Ronald McCallum M.B.E. and later, Arthur Gillies. He has also had tuition from Jim Henderson and Hugh McCallum.
One of the most gifted pipers in the world today, he has won three Clasps at Inverness, the Senior Piobaireachd at Oban five times, both Gold Medals and is a two-time Glenfiddich Piping Champion.
Stuart is founder and Pipe Major of the Inveraray & District Pipe Band, winners of the World Pipe Band Championship in 2017 and 2019 in Grade 1. Previously he was a member of the Scottish Power Pipe Band for seven years thereafter joining the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Vancouver, Canada with whom he played for eleven years.
A piano tuner to trade, he is also piping instructor at Mid Argyll Primary and Lochgilphead High Schools.
Roddy MacLeod, MBE – Piping 
As Principal of The National Piping Centre, established in Glasgow in 1996, Roddy MacLeod has been a prominent driving force behind such highly significant initiatives including; Scottish Music (Piping) BA degree program, establishment of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland, inauguration of Piping Live!, Glasgow International Piping Festival, and the formation of the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board. In addition, Roddy has also been responsible for the production and editing of three influential teaching books, the National Piping Centre’s Highland Bagpipe Tutor Book, Piobaireachd Tutor (and the associated Transition to Bagpipes book).
A student of the late Duncan Johnstone, he played with the Red Hackle and British Caledonian Airways Pipe Bands, the last of which became the ScottishPower Pipe Band. In 1995, Roddy MacLeod became its Pipe Major, and over the next decade, led it to over 45 Grade 1 Championship prizes including the Cowal Championships and All Ireland Championships. In 2008, Roddy was involved in the formation of the Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band which brought together a group of elite solo pipers and drummers for one week. The band with Roddy as its Pipe Major played in Grade 1 at the World Pipe Band Championship and qualified for the final. A movie called “On the Day” was made documenting the band’s preparations and performances. The band reformed in the 2015 season, again qualifying for the final or the Grade 1 World championship and achieving places in the British, European and UK Championships.
As a soloist, Roddy MacLeod won his first Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in 1986, and the Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal in 1988. Alongside innumerable successes as a light music competitor, Roddy flourished as a player and interpreter of piobaireachd.
He has won the Glenfiddich Piping Championship five times (winning the piobaireachd event a record ten times and the MSR three times), the Silver Chanter seven times, the Northern Meeting Clasp on two occasions, Bi-centenary medal (1988), Former Winners MSR, the Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering twice, and the Former Winner MSR twice. At the Scottish Piping Society of London Championship he has won the Bratach Gorm eight times, the Gillies Cup Open Piobaireachd nine times, the Former Winners London Medallion MSR five times, and the Overall Championship eight times. He continues to be a dynamic and exceptionally successful competitor. He is internationally esteemed as a teacher, adjudicator and recitalist and, for more than 20 years, his warm, strong-sounding 100 year-old Lawrie pipes have given immense pleasure to audiences around the world.
In 2003, he was made a Member of the British Empire in recognition of his services to piping, and in 2004 was awarded the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Award for Music. In 2012 Roddy was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Awards Hall of Fame
J. Reid Maxwell – Snare Drumming
J. Reid Maxwell is certainly one of today’s most decorated drummers. When the SFU Pipe Band captured the Worlds in 1995, Reid became the first person in history to lead the drum corps of two different bands to be named World Pipe Band Champions (his other victory being in 1987 with Toronto’s 78th Fraser Highlanders, also the 1987 World Drum Corps Champions). And all this was preceded by two World Pipe Band Championships and four World Drum Corps Championships as a member of Scotland’s Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band.
With the band’s capture of the 2008 and 2009 World Pipe Band Championship and World Drum Corps Championships, Reid obtained his 18th World Championship title, an amazing feat by any standard. Reid’s ability to produce exceptional drum corps and his dedication to the instruction of young drummers is held in high regard worldwide. In 2015, Reid was awarded the BC Community Achievement Award for services to pipe band drumming in British Columbia.
Willie McCallum – Piping
A native of Campbeltown, Kintyre, Willie received his main tuition from his uncles Ronald and Hugh. Willie has won almost every prize in piping including the Highland Society of London Gold Medals, the Glenfiddich Championship 8 times, the senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering 3 times, the MSR Former Winners at the Argyllshire Gathering 5 times, the MSR for Former Winners at the Northern Meeting 3 times, the Bratach Gorm 3 times, the P/M Donald MacLeod Memorial 7 times, and the Dr Dan Reid Memorial 7 times.
Fred Morrison – Piping
Although double Gold medalist Fred Morrison was born and raised near Glasgow, it’s the celebrated Gaelic piping tradition of his father’s native South Uist, in the Outer Hebrides, that forms the bedrock of his intensely expressive, uniquely adventurous style.
His outstanding technical prowess saw him winning top competition prizes while still at school. That said, his first-love instrument remains the great Highland bagpipes. Fred being a pivotal popularizer of this once-rare variety, over the years his mastery has expanded to encompass whistles, Scottish small and reel pipes, and Irish uilleann pipes.
Fred has long been renowned as an outstanding tune composer, with numerous compositions featured in the repertoire of top pipe bands globally.
Dr. Richard Parkes, MBE – Piping
Richard has been Pipe Major of 13 time World Champion Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band since 1981, making history by leading FMM to become the most successful pipe band ever to come from Northern Ireland. Richard was honored with an MBE from Her Majesty The Queen in 2004 for recognition of his services to pipe band music in Northern Ireland. In 2019 he was awarded honorary doctorates by Queens University and the University of Ulster in recognition of his contribution to pipe bands, both in Northern Ireland and worldwide.
Richard has always put the band first, but he also managed to win seven All Ireland Senior Solo Championships, eight Northern Ireland Piper of the Year titles, nine Ulster Senior Championships, as well as winning the Strachan in London, the Jig in Inverness and a number of other prizes at major solo competitions.
Jim Sim – Snare Drumming
Jim Sim started drumming lessons with his Father at the age of 8. His first band was the Stock Yard Kilty Band from Chicago. He worked his way up the solo ranks and eventually was placed in the Open. His early influences in drumming were from his father and John Kirkwood Sr. from St. Catharines, Ontario. In 1975 along with Pipe Major Ian Swinton the new Midlothian Scottish Pipe Band was formed. The band started in Grade 4. The band with Jim as the Leading Drummer went on to win many titles. In 1985 the band was promoted to Grade 1 which finished one of the band’s early goals which was to go from Grade 4 to Grade 1 in ten years using mostly players taught by Ian and Jim. Midlothian won many titles several times including the U.S. Open Championship, and the North American Championship and several placings in the top 6 at the World Championships.
Jim retired from active playing after the 2009 season to devote more time to teaching and judging. Jim has taught many young players who have gone on to win many contests of their own as well as many of the bands in North America. Jim has also had the honor of playing with The Chieftains, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He is currently a Full Adjudicator, President of the MidWest Pipe Band Association, and President of ANAPBA (Alliance of North American Pipe Band Associations). When not playing he enjoys spending time with his wife Barb and their 3 children and one Grandchild and following the White Sox and Black Hawks.
Bob Worrall – Piping
Bob Worrall is one of North America’s leading teachers, adjudicators and performers. Bob is a respected composer, having published three successful collections of bagpipe music. He is featured on three solo piping recordings and was a member of the folk group “Scantily Plaid”.
After a piping career with a number of Ontario’s leading pipe bands, including the City of Toronto Pipe Band and the General Motors Pipe Band, Bob retired from competitive piping in 1983. His solo accomplishments were extensive, both in North America and Scotland. He won the North American Professional Championship an unprecedented 7 times and the Ontario Professional Championship Supreme title for 12 of his 13 years in the professional class. He was also the 1977 winner of the March and Strathspey/Reel events in Inverness. He was a pupil of Bill Millar, Willie Connell and the late John Wilson.
A member of North American and the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association’s judging panels, Bob has been selected to judge the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow on sixteen occasions. For the last fifteen years he has been the colour commentator for the BBC’s broadcast of the World Pipe Band Championships. He is a member of the Piobaireachd Society’s Senior Judges list and has adjudicated major competitions throughout the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Brittany and South Africa. Bob’s recent overseas piping ventures have included teaching and performing engagements in Zimbabwe, Australia and Italy. His M.C. skills have been called upon by the Field Marshal Montgomery, Scottish Power, Inveraray and District, and Toronto Police Pipe Bands.
Bob was the senior instructor at the Gaelic College in Cape Breton for 15 years. He is the Director of Summer Blast, the PPBSO’s virtual summer school.. Other recent piping camps have included Kingston (Ontario), the Ohio Scottish Arts School, Lake Diefenbaker (Saskatchewan), Washington State and Oregon, Vancouver Island, Uruguay, Australia and South Africa. Weekend workshops, adjudicating and recitals provide him with a schedule that has taken him to virtually all of the Canadian provinces and 36 U.S. States.