GOLD MEDAL PIPERS Chris Armstrong Former Pipe Major of David Urquhart Travel Pipes & Drums, since 2005 Chris has been Pipe Major of the ScottishPower Pipe Band.Solo successes include the Grade A March at the 2000 Argyllshire Gathering, the A Grade March - Strathspey - Reel at the 2001 Northern Meeting, and the Former Winner's MSR at the 2001 AG. He was overall Champion at the 2002 and 2003 Cowal Highland Gathering. In 2003 Chris won the Highland Society of London 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 has won the Bratach Gorm in 2004. 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. John is Pipe Major of Peel Regional Police Pipe Band. Alastair Dunn Alastair is a frequent prize winner on the Professional piping circuit including the 2009 Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal. Pipe Sergeant of the Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band, Alastair helped P/M 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. Stuart Liddell Stuart's solo achievements include the Silver Medal at the 1992 Argyllshire Gathering, the Gold Medal at the 2000 Northern Meeting, and most recently, the Gold Medal at the 2004 AG. He won the Clasp at the 2009 Northern Meeting and is the 2009 Glenfiddich Champion. He is the Pipe Major of Inverary & District Pipe Band, 2009 Grade 2 World Champions. Angus MacColl Angus distinguished himself by winning the Gold Medal , Silver Star, and Clasps at Inverness, and the Gold Medal, Former Winner's MSR, and several Senior Piobaireachd at Oban, including 2009. He won the Glenfiddich Invitational in 1995, repeating this Championship in 2006. Colin MacLellan A professional educator, Colin has achieved much as a bandsman and solo piper. As Pipe Major, he led the 1986 Grade 4 Glengarry Pipe Band to the 1996 Grade 2 North American and U.S. Championships; the band was promoted to Grade 1 the following year. He was appointed Pipe Major of Edinburgh's 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 Piper's Association from 1999-2004, and is featured on Lismor's "World's Greatest Pipers" volume 11. CHAMPION DRUMMERS Michael Cole Mike is bass drummer for the Windsor Police Pipe Band, the North American Bass Section Champion of 2006. Mike won MHAF's 2007 Davis Drum Gold Medal in professional bass drumming competition. A professional teacher, Mike instructs at workshops, seminars and summer camps in North America and Scotland, and is a drumming and band ensemble judge. Drew Duthart Drew started playing under the instruction of his father, Alex, and at age 14 moved to Shotts & Dykhead. During the next five years he achieved every drum corps prize possible, also winning the World's Juvenile Solo Drumming Championship. After Shotts, Drew joined the British Caledonian Airways Pipe Band until moving to Ontario in 1986. He was Lead Drummer of the Metro Toronto Police, helping win the North American Pipe Band Championship twice in the 1990s. After a short hiatus from the pipe band world, Drew returned to play with the Peel Regional Police, and then the Scottish Lion 78th Fraser Highlanders, becoming lead tip in 2004. Under Drew's leadership, the 78ths won Best Drum Corps at the 2007 World Pipe Band Championships. John Fisher A former North American Drumming Champion, John was a member of the World Champion Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band drum corps under the leadership of Alex Duthart. John was most recently Lead Drummer of the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, and performed for many years as a session drummer in Los Angeles and Canada. With over 25 years experience as a performer and educator, John has gained an international reputation as a master of technique. Kevin MacHeffner Internationally renowned as one of today's finest Drum Majors, Kevin Holds many notable competitive benchmarks both at home and overseas including being the first American Drum Major to have placed at four of the five Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association major championships. A professional-grade tenor drummer, Kevin plays in the Los Angeles Scots Pipe Band. Drum Major MacHeffner actively organizes and leads massed band displays across North America. Norman "Haggis" MacLeod Norman MacLeod joined the St. Andrews Boys Brigade pipe band at age 12, and has been performing the globe over ever since. He has contributed to many prize-winning bands and drum corps, including World Champion Best Bass Section of The Vale of Atholl, and was involved in the first tenor drumming workshop run in Scotland by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association. Haggis currently is lead tenor drummer with the 2006 and 2007 World Champion Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band of Northern Ireland. J. Reid Maxwell When the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band captured "the Worlds" in 1995, Reid made history as the first leader of drum corps of two different pipe band World Champions (his other the 78th Fraser Highlanders in 1987). All this was preceded by two World Pipe Band Championships and four World Drum Corps titles as a teenaged member of Scotland's Dysart and Dundonald Pipe Band! Reid has led SFU to two consecutive World Drum Corps titles, including 2009 where the band also repeated as World Champions. Emily McLeod Tenor Drummer Emily McLeod has competed successfully throughout North America as well as Scotland and Ireland. Emily helped Niagara Regional Police win the Grade 2 Best Bass Section prize at the World Pipe Band Championships in 2001, and the 78th Fraser Higlanders win the Best Bass Section prize in 2003. Emily remained with the 78th Frasers for four years, stepping into a leadership role in 2004. In 2007 she competed with Dublin's St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band, helping win the All-Ireland Championship as well as the Mid-Ulster Championships. Steven McWhirter Steven first competed with Cullybackey Pipe Band, and helped win the 2001 Grade 2 World Drum Corps Champion title. Shortly after, he joined J. Reid Maxwell's Simon Fraser University Pipe Band corps, and helped win the World Drum Corps Champion title in 2004 and 2008. He is Drum Sergeant of Inverary & District Pipe Band, 2009 Grade 2 World Champions. In 2006, Steven won the MHAF North American Gold Medal Drumming Championship, the All-Ireland Senior title, and capped it with the World Solo Drumming Championship. Michael O'Neil Mike helped Prince Charles win the Grade 2 World Pipe Band Championship in 2000, as well as Best Bass Section. He went on to help win the Grade 2 World Pipe Band Championship with Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band in 2006, and currently plays with the 2009 World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Mike was Champion of MHAF's Gold Medal tenor Drumming contest in 2005 and 2006, and runner-up in 2007. Johnny Rowe After successful development as a snare drummer on the Maritime Canadian solo circuit, Johnny joined the Grade 2 Halifax Police Pipe Band in 1990, and began his bass drumming career. The band won the North American Championship, including Best Bass Section honors. John continued playing with Halifax into their new existence as The 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) Pipe Band. John joined the 78th Fraser Highlanders in Toronto in 2004, and in 2007 helped win Best Drum Corps and Best Bass Section at the World Pipe Band Championships. Barry Wilson Barry joined Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band at age 14, and would remain there sixteen years. While with Shotts, an amazing forty major drum championship titles were won, including twelve World Drum Corps Championships, and a "Grand Slam" of five titles in 1995. Barry is now lead tip with the Scottish Power Pipe Band. Since his first appearance in 1987 at the World Solo Drumming Championships, Barry twice has been Juvenile World Champion. He is the 2007, 2008 and 2009 World Solo Drumming Champion. Simon Fraser University Pipe Band The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band of British Columbia was formed in 1966 during the school's inaugural yer, and has since earned six World Pipe Band Championships, including 2009. The full band, led by Pipe Major Terry Lee, Pipe Sergeant Jack Lee, and Lead Drummer J. Reid Maxwell, consists of over forty talented players, and has developed a significant youth program through its junior band system, the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Bands. SPECIAL GUESTS Blair Brown Blair began drumming in 1992 at the age of eight. In his youth, he played with the Milton Optimist Pipe Band and 78th Fraser Highlanders.His truly formative drumming years took place while playing with the House of Edgar Shotts & Dykehead, led by Jim Kilpatrick, winning the World Drum Corps Championships in 2002, 2003 and 2005. At the World Solo Drumming Championships, he has placed in the top 6 three times, most recently in 2009. Blair currently plays with the 2009 World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Jori Chisholm Jori made his mark on the international piping scene winning top prizes, including the 2001 A Grade March/Bronze Star at the Argyllshire Gathering, and MHAF's 2004 and 2008 and 2009 U.S. Gold Medal Piobaireachd Competition. Jori is a member of the 2009 World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. He teaches piping in Seattle and to students worldwide. Steve Foley Steve began his pipe band career at the age of 9. Originally a tenor drummer, Steve has played the bass drum since age 16, currently for the LA Scots Pipe Band. Steve was the 1999 Grade One "Best Bass" and 1997 Grade Two "Best Bass" champion with the LA Scots. Alex Gandy Alex is a perennial prize winner in the Winter Storm Contests, including the 2009 U.S. Silver Medal and 2009 Ceol Beag Championship. In addition to his solo achievements, Alex won the 2003 North American Pipe Band Championships with the 78th Highlanders, then went on to win the 2007 World Pipe Band Championship with Field Marshall Montgomery. Andrew Elliott Andrew plays with Peel Regional Police Pipe Band and is a two-time PPBSO Champion Supreme winner for tenor drumming. Andrew won the MHAF Gold Medal for Tenor Drumming in 2008 and 2009, and was a prize winner in the Gold Medal Bass event. Matt Kline, Tristan Wilson Matt and Tristan are professional pipers and instructors at the Winter Storm Workshop. Previously with the Grade 2 KC St. Andrew Pipes & Drums, all are members of the Grade 2 City of Chicago Pipe Band, where Tristan is Pipe Sergeant. Matt served as a Director of MHAF.