| Bagpiping is life!
I have been playing the Scottish Highland Bagpipe for nearly
twenty years and have no intention of stopping any time soon!
My first exposure to piping came through my older brother
who was not a piper, but a Scottish snare drummer. He began
playing the Scottish snare drum (also called the "side"
drum) at Shorecrest
High School and soon became involved in a pipe
band outside of school, the now defunct Clan Stewart Pipe
Band.
Our family began attending not only his school events, where
I got to see the school pipe band in action, but also Scottish
events and highland games where I was exposed to the rich
and colorful Scottish culture of which piping is just a small
part.
My second year of high school I became interested enough
to join the school piping program and I haven't stopped to
take a breath since. Except to fill up the bag, of course.
My senior year of high school I was introduced to the Washington
Scottish Pipe Band as the Shorecrest piping program
was seeking a new instructor. I was the "Pipe Major"
of the high school group that year and our marching band was
headed to California for the Pasadena Rose Parade. The Washinton
Scottish stepped in to help get us in shape for the trip,
which began a legacy of cooperation between the two organizations.
I began playing with the Washington Scottish that same year.
I am pleased and honored to be back teaching the Shorecrest
piping program. The kids are enthusiastic and
excited about learning the pipes, which makes working with
them quite fulfilling. The program is growing by leaps and
bounds and I expect even more exciting progress in the next
few years.
After joining the Washington Scottish I became more and more
involved with the band and stayed with the organization for
14 years.. I served as Pipe Major for three years before my
departure from the group.
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