Kansas City St. Andrew Pipes & Drums Formed in 1962 as a community band, part of the Kansas City St. Andrew Society. The band plays in parades as well as at other civic and private functions. In addition to performances, the organization fields three bands that compete throughout North America and Scotland. With over 60 members from ten to sixty years old, there is room for all to participate. PM Jim Higgins leads the Grade 2 band. Chris Hamilton Chris is Pipe Sergeant with the Grade 1 City of Washington Pipe Band and adjudicator for the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association. In addition to his responsibilities as primary "tone" man of the band, he also instructs and leads two other up-and-coming bands in the D.C. area, and owns his own bagpipe sales and consulting business. John Cairns John 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. Before joining the 78th Fraser Highlanders pipe band, John was Pipe Major of the St. Thomas Police Grade 1 Pipe Band. He also owns a piping educational and consulting business. John Fisher John is the new lead drummer of the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band. A former North American Drumming Champion. John was a member of the World Champion Shotts and Dykehead Pipe Band drum corps under the leadership of Alex Duthurt. With over 25 years experience as a drummer, performer, and educator, John has gained an international reputation as a master of technique. Tyler Fry Tyler is a member of the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band. Winner of 2 World Pipe Band Championship "Best Bass Section" as well as numerous Canadian, United States and North American "Best Bass Section" titles, Tyler is also a qualified tenor drumming judge for the Pipers and Pipe Band Association of Ontario and a tenor drumstick manufacturer. Duncan Gibson Currently bass drummer for the Peel Regional Police Pipe Band, Gibson was bass for Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band in 2001, winning the Grade 2 "Best Bass" award at the World Pipe Band Championships. Gibson has played in other Grade 1 bands in Ontario, including Metro Toronto Police Pipe Band in the early 1990s. Mike Cusack Mike is a ten time winner of the U.S. Piping Foundation Championship, most recently in 2002. The first American to have one 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. Alasdair Gillies Former Pipe Major of the Queen's Own Highlanders, Alasdair is Pipe Major of the Carnegie-Mellon University Pipes and Drums, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Featured on Lismor Recordings' "World's Greatest Pipers" volume 12, he has one numerous Glenfiddich Championships in Scotland, the Braemar Gold Medal (twice), and the Gold Medal at Oban. Alasdair won his 10th Silver Star in the Former Winner's MSR at Inverness in 2002. Kenneth Sutherland The first United States Silver Medal Piobaireachd Competition was won by Kenneth Sutherland of Menlo Park, California. Ken is a member of California's MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band, and has competed in the United States Piping Foundation Championships. Jim Kilpatrick As a member of Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band, Jim has won 16 World Drum Corps titles, including a record-breaking 11 consecutive wins. He has won the World Solo Drumming Championship a record 13 times. He is regarded as the world's greatest exponent of Scottish-style snare drumming. 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 Bratach Gorm in London, and most recently the piobaireachd event at the Glenfiddich. Lindsay Kirkwood In 2002, Lindsay Kirkwood died suddenly, at age 43. An award-winning solo and band piper, he had been a member of several outstanding Ontario bands including Metro Toronto Police, 78th Fraser Highlanders and, most recently, Peel Regional Police. He was the last Pipe-Major of the Clan MacFarlane Pipe Band. Lindsay was active as an instructor and piping adjudicator, which is how we, the Directors of Midwest Highland Arts Fund, knew him. Please honor Lindsay by enjoying this replay of his 2002 Winter Storm Performance.