Winter Storm Biographies
Chris Armstrong
Chris Armstrong’s served as Pipe Sergeant of Torphicen and Bathgate Pipe Band, and in 2004 as Pipe Major of the David Urquhart Travel Pipes & Drums. Since 2005, Chris has been Pipe Major of the ScottishPower Pipe Band.
Solo successes include the A Grade March at the 2000 Argyllshire Gathering, the A Grade March – Strathspey – Reel at the 2001 Northern Meeting, and the Former Winners MSR at the 2001 AG. He was overall Champion at the 2002 and 2003 Cowal Highland Gathering. In 2003 Chris won the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting.
A prolific and popular composer, he’s published “Notes Frae Ma Heid” 1 & 2, and recorded several CDs. Chris is a full-time instructor at the National Piping Centre.
John Cairns
John Cairns has won almost every major soloist prize in North America, and in 1999 achieved the rarest of feats, becoming the 11th person in the history of piping to win “The Double”: both Highland Society of London Gold Medals for solo piping, at Oban and Inverness, in the same year. Most recently, he’s won the Bratach Gorm in 2004.
Before joining the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, John was Pipe Major of the St. Thomas Police Grade 1 Pipe Band.
As an instructor, John holds the internationally recognized Institute of Piping’s Senior Teacher’s Certificate. During his seventeen years in the Canadian Forces, he taught over ten thousand students in the Cadet Pipes and Drums Training Program, and developed a curriculum now available to pipers everywhere.
In 2000, John’s composition "The Lament for the Unknown Soldier" was selected and performed during the dedication of Canada’s National War Memorial. His work is prominently featured in the 78th Fraser's 2003 concert extravaganza, "Seanchaidh".
John lives in London, Ontario with his wife and family, and owns a piping educational and consulting business.
Mike Cusack
Mike is an eleven time winner of the U.S. Piping Foundation Championship, most recently in 2003. The first American to have won the Gold Medal at Oban and Inverness, his awards also include the Senior Piobaireachd Competition at Oban, the Clasp at Inverness, the Bratach Gorm at London, and the March, Strathspey and Reel and Piobaireachd events at the Glenfiddich.
Mike is Headmaster at St. Thomas' Episcopal School in Houston, Texas, and led the school pipe band to four Juvenile World Championships, including 2004.
Alastair Dunn
Alastair is a frequent prize winner on the Professional piping circuit including the Gold and Silver Medals at the Northern Meeting, the Metro Cup in New York, and the A Grade Piobaireachd, London.
Pipe Sergeant of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, Alastair helped PM Richard Parkes win every major competition including the World Championships in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2007. Alastair was acting Pipe Major of the Band in 2004 winning the Scottish and All Ireland Championships.
As General Manager at R.G. Hardie & Co., Alastair is a manufacturer of quality bagpipes including the premium Peter Henderson line.
Jack Lee
Jack Lee is Pipe Sergeant of the four-time World Champion Simon Fraser
University Pipe Band, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Featured on
Lismor’s "World's Greatest Pipers" volume 15, he's won the Gold Medal and
Clasp at Inverness, and the Gold Medal and Senior Piobaireachd at Oban, as
well as the Glenfiddich. Jack won the 2006 Bratach Gorm in London, and in
2007 his third Silver Star at the Northern Meeting.
Stuart Liddell
Stuart Liddell’s solo achievements include the Silver Medal at the 1992
Argyllshire Gathering, the Gold Medal at the 2000 Northern Meeting, and
the Gold Medal at the 2004 Argyllshire Gathering. He won the Clasp at the
2007 Northern Meeting. A former member of the ScottishPower Pipe Band for
six years, he currently plays with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band,
helping win their World Championships in 1999 and 2001.
Colin MacLellan
Colin MacLellan, a professional educator, has achieved much as both a bandsman and solo piper. Starting as Pipe Major of the 1986 Grade 4 Glengarry Pipe Band, he led the band to the 1996 Grade 2 North American and US Championships; the band was promoted to Grade 1 the following year. He was appointed Pipe Major of Edinburgh’s storied Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band in 1999, serving to 2004.
Colin won the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in 1982, consecutive MacCrimmon Silver Chanters in 1990 and 1991, and the Gold Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering in 1992. He served as President of the Competing Pipers Association from 1999 – 2004, and is featured on Lismor Recordings’ “World’s Greatest Pipers” volume 11.
Angus MacColl
Angus MacColl is ranked among the World’s greatest pipers, and distinguished himself by winning the Gold Medal, Silver Star, and Clasps at Inverness, and the Gold Medal, Former Winners’ MSR, and several Senior
Piobaireachd at Oban. He won the Glenfiddich Invitational in 1995,
repeating this Championship in 2006.
Fred Morrison
Scottish piping moves into the 21st century, Fred Morrison has carved an international reputation with a powerfully exuberant, highly improvisational style, combining the Gaelic piping tradition of the Uists with contemporary and eclectic influences. One of the few pipers achieving success in both the competitive piping and folk music scenes, Fred is a master of the Highland pipes and the bellows-blown Lowland or Border pipes, as well as playing Irish uillean pipes and low whistle.
His prowess on the Great Highland Bagpipe gained him honors in the exacting Scottish competition piping circuit, including the gold medals at Oban and Inverness, while he has taken the prestigious Macallan trophy at Brittany's Lorient Celtic Festival no fewer than seven times. In demand as a solo performing artist, he played in and helped arrange the Highland group Capercaillie's music for the film “Rob Roy”.
As well as cropping up on albums by numerous leading Scottish musicians and singers, Fred's recent activities have included the Gaelic group “Ceolas”, of which he is a founding member, while his stature as a musician was recognized by Glasgow's mammoth Celtic Connections festival in 2005, when he was commissioned to write the customary grand opening composition.
Another honor particularly cherished by Fred was being voted 2004’s “Instrumentalist of the Year” in the Scots Trad Music Awards.
He consults with McCallum Bagpipes, lending his name and experience developing a bellows-blown pipe called the Fred Morrison reelpipes.
Andrew Wright
Andrew Wright achieved the rarest of feats in 1970, becoming the 10th person in the history of piping to win “The Double”: both Highland Society of London Gold Medals for solo piping, at Oban and Inverness, in the same year. Now retired from the competition platform following a successful career (winning most of the major piobaireachd prizes more than once), Andrew is much in demand as a teacher of the classical music of the pipes. He is Honorary President of the Piobaireachd Society. (Photo provided by Piobaireachd Society.)
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