Winter School 2027

Gary is a musician, academic and broadcaster who specializes in researching, teaching and performing the cultural traditions of Scotland. He spent 27 years as the Professor of Scottish Ethnology at the University of Edinburgh, and is in high demand as a lecturer, piper and singer. Originally from Pitlochry in Perthshire, Gary played with the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band, winning the Scottish and European Championships, and played for two seasons with the Grade 1 Glasgow Police Pipe Band. In addition to his work in music and media, Gary is a former Director of the European Ethnological Research Centre, a board member of Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland, and a board member of the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust. For many years, Gary has hosted Pipeline, a weekly program on BBC Radio Scotland. He has recently begun his own piping podcast called ‘Enjoy Your Piping.’

Angus MacColl, who hails from Benderloch, Scotland, comes from an illustrious piping family and is the great grandnephew of legendary piper and composer John MacColl. With years of piping still ahead, Angus’s contribution to the MacColl dynasty is certain t orival that of his forebears. Angus has won virtually every award in piping, including the Gold Medals at Oban and Inverness, the Glenfiddich Championship twice, the Clasp at Inverness three times, the Senior Piobaireachd at Oban three times, the Silver Star for former winners MSR at Inverness, and the former winners MSR at Oban on several occasions.

Born in New Zealand and an emigrant to Scotland, Murray Henderson has won an amazing number of top awards. His accomplishments include prizes and Gold Medals at Oban and Inverness, six Clasps at Inverness, five Silver Chanters at Dunvegan Castle, London’s Bratach Gorm five times, the Former Winners MSR at London five times, and four-time Glenfiddich champion. In 2016 he was honored by being inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Senior adjudicator for the Solo Piper’s Judges Association for both Piobaireachd and light music, Murray has judged Internationally, and at all major events in Scotland. Spanning five decades, his competitive and mentoring record has made him one of the world’s most successful, and knowledgeable pipers.

Roddy MacLeod MBE, Glasgow, Scotland is considered to be one of the most accomplished pipers of his generation and a highly regarded teacher, recitalist and adjudicator. Uniquely, he is a Grade 1 Championship winning Pipe Major and a five time Glenfiddich World Solo Piping Champion and in 2012 he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Awards Hall of Fame. Throughout his career as a piper Roddy has become renowned for his sound and is a dedicated ambassador of the instrument.

Ross is a founding member of Gaelic supergroup, Daimh, based in the Scottish Highlands. Beyond Daimh’s busy schedule, Ross has chalked up recording and touring credits with artists such as Julie Fowlis, Bonnie Prince Billy, Muireann Nic Aomhlaoibh, Karan Casey, Finlay MacDonald and the inimitable Vallely brothers from Armagh. Time at home is spent heavily involved in teaching the joys of traditional Scottish music to young people in the area through the Feisean movement and volunteering with the local Coastguard Search and Rescue team.

Alasdair White is an exceptional exponent of west coast Scottish music and is widely regarded as one of the foremost Scottish fiddler players of his generation. He was born and brought up on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, a chain of islands of singular importance to Gaelic Scotland’s musical heritage and is perhaps best known as having been a member of Scotland’s seminal Battlefield Band for over 16 years, touring extensively in that time throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Now resident in New York, Alasdair has performed and recorded as a guest with many of the best-known names in Scottish, Irish and Breton traditional music including Kathleen MacInnis, Julie Fowlis, Eddie Reader, Allan MacDonald, Manus Lunny, Nuala Kennedy, and Arnaud Ciapolino. Current ongoing projects include Daimh, the Alan Kelly Gang and of course, Battlefield Band. Alasdair also recently premiered a major commission at the Hebridean Celtic festival in Stornoway, an hour-long original piece entitled An Iuchair.

Ailis Sutherland is from Kirriemuir, Angus and grew up playing in her local pipe band. As a soloist and as part of a range of ensembles including folk band Hecla, Ailis has a diverse performance history with festival appearances in Australia, Brittany, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway and Romania. She has delivered workshops as part of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland’s outreach program, developed her teaching repertoire and technique classes on the Curso Internacional de Música Tradicional (Asturias) and appeared a regular Fèis tutor in Uist and Barra. Ailis graduated with a BA (Hons) in Applied Music from the University of the Highlands and Islands in 2018 and now works at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow, teaching in a primary school in the city as well as covering lessons on the intensive courses and seasonal schools.

Finlay MacDonald has blazed a trail as one of Scotland’s finest exponents of contemporary and traditional Piping. He has worked with many leading artists in the traditional music scene including Fred Morrison, The Unusual Suspects, La Banda Europa, Old Blind Dogs and Chris Stout. As a soloist, he has collaborated with many world famous ensembles including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, The Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and the RTE Philharmonic. In the Pop and Rock world there have been unique performances with such diverse artistes such as Bryan Adams, Biffy Clyro and the rap artist P.Diddy. Always driven by collaboration and innovation, Finlay’s passion for the music he has grown up with has led him to the post of “Head of Piping Studies” at the National Piping Centre and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he continues to inspire and develop the very best of new Piping talent.

Callum Beaumont currently resides in Guardbridge, Scotland. Callum is a bagpipe instructor at Dollar Academy. In a professional capacity he is a much sought after and highly rated instructor prominent around the world. With regard to band history, at twelve years of age Callum joined the Grade 1 Lothian & Borders Police, moving on to Shotts & Dykehead, Simon Fraser University and Inveraray & District, winning four World Championship titles. In 2018 and 2022, as Pipe Major of Dollar Academy Novice A, he led the band to all five major titles, including being named World Champions. Callum has now progressed on to winning many of the most prestigious titles in world piping including five Clasps, two Gold Medals, The Silver Chanter, The Silver Star and winning The Overall Title at The Glenfiddich Piping Championship in 2023 and 2024.

Piper and Drummer Magazine has referred to Bruce Gandy as “one of the world’s best all-around players.” His prizes include top awards and Gold Medals from both Oban and Inverness, the Bratach Gorm and, on eight occasions, New York’s Metro Cup. Bruce is also a noted composer and in high demand as an instructor. Bruce’s learning program called Essential Piobaireachd Foundations won product of the year in the annual Pipes|Drums awards. He was raised in Victoria, British Columbia, and resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he teaches piping at the Citadel.

Stuart Liddell, from Inveraray, Scotland, is one of the world’s most exciting pipers and is noted for his excellent solo performances and recordings. For seven years he was a member of the Scottish Power Pipe Band, thereafter joining the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Vancouver, Canada. He is the founder and Pipe Major of the Inveraray and District Pipe Band who are the current World Pipe Band Champions, having previously won it in 2017 and 2019. He has also won the World Pipe Band Championship three times with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, has won three Clasps at Inverness, the Senior Piobaireachd at Oban five times, and is a three-time Glenfiddich Piping Champion.

Willie is a native of Campbeltown in Kintyre, and from a famous piping family who can trace back their piping to John McAlister who won the Prize Pipe in 1782, the 2nd recorded piping competition. He has won the Glenfiddich Championship a record 9 times and his other prizes won include both Gold Medals, 9 P/M Donald MacLeod Memorials, 5 Former Winners MSRs at Oban and 4 at Inverness, 4 Bratach Gorms, 3 Silver Chanters, and 3 Senior Piobaireachds at Oban. He is Lead Tutor on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland B.Mus.Trad Programme, delivered by the National Piping Centre. He also runs a busy business comprising private teaching and being a consultant to McCallum Bagpipes and Bannatyne Pipe Bags and Moisture Control. Many of his students are champion pipers in their own right.

For more than three decades, 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 much sought after as a performer, lecturer, and teacher throughout the world. For nearly forty years, Pipe-Sergeant Jack Lee has been ranked among the world’s most accomplished pipers. He has won all the top solo prizes available: The Glenfiddich Championship, Gold Medals at both Oban and Inverness, the Clasp at Inverness (2), the Silver Star at Inverness (4), the Bratach Gorm at London (3) the Open Piobaireachd at Oban (2), the Silver Star at Oban and the Masters Invitational (2). Jack teaches many piping schools and workshops each year as well as numerous private students around the world via Skype.In October 2017, Jack won the coveted Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championship in Blair Atholl, Scotland, considered the top prize in piping. Jack is also the pipe sergeant and co-founder of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, which has been a consistent prize-winner at the World Championships in the past 20 years.

Blair Brown began drumming in 1992 under the instruction of Doug Stronach. He has been a member of some of the world's most decorated pipe bands, including: Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia, Simon Fraser University, and the 78th Fraser Highlanders. During his time in Shotts, the band won three World Pipe Band Championships, and four World Drum Corps Championships. Blair was a member of the SFU corps that won “The Sash” (World Drum Corps Title) at the 2023 Worlds. Blair is one of the top solo drummers in the world. He is a consistent prize winner at the World Solo Drumming Championships and has won the Gold Medal at the prestigious Winter Storm event in Kansas City a record six times. A sought after educator, Blair regularly conducts workshops and teaches at piping and drumming schools worldwide. He is a certified judge with the PPBSO and BCPA. He is currently based in Vancouver, BC.

Tyler Fry is the recognized world leader in the art of pipe band tenor drumming. By the age of 15, he had won every major professional solo tenor drumming event in North America, including the Canadian, United States, and North American Championships. Tyler is a three-time winner of the Grade 1 World Bass Drum Section Championship with the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band of Toronto, as well as countless Scottish, British, European, and World band and drum corps titles with Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band under the leadership of the legendary Drum Major Jim Kilpatrick MBE. Tyler travels extensively conducting masterclasses and seminars, and regularly tours with the Red Hot Chili Pipers.

Ali started tenor drumming with the Northwest Junior Pipe Band, based outside Seattle, Washington, in 2007. She joined the Robert Malcolm Memorial grade 3 in 2010, and was with them in 2012 when they won the World Pipe Band Championships, promoting to Grade 2. Ali transitioned full time to bass drumming during the 2017 season with the grade 2 band. In the spring of 2022 she became the understudy to the SFU bass drummer. She made her debut with the band when she stepped in to play all four Worlds circles that summer; helping the drum corps win The Sash. Ali teaches tenor and bass with the Northwest Junior Pipe Band, and runs the midsection program with the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band. She is the lead nurse of the Internal Medicine Department at a specialty and emergency veterinary hospital in Washington.

Kerr McQuillan is the Leading Drummer for the Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band. Kerr took over in 2022, and in his few seasons, led the drum corps to win the UK Pipe Band Championships in 2023, the World Pipe Band Championships in 2023, the British Pipe Band Championships in 2024 and also winning the drum corps’ first drumming title in over 10 years – taking 1st place as a drum corps at the European Pipe Band Championships in 2024. Having grown up within the Boghall system, Kerr was taught by Tom Brown MBE, Gordon Brown and Stephen McQuillan. In 2023, in his first attempt, Kerr became the youngest on record to win the adult World Solo Drumming Championships, having previously won 7 juvenile world titles in both tenor and snare drum from 2012 until 2022. Kerr holds the current record for World Solo tenor successes, even winning both the tenor and snare competition on the same day in 2016. Since his appointment as leading drummer, Kerr has accumulated the titles of 2023 and 2024 Scottish Champion, 2024 European Champion, 2024 Intercontinental Champion, to name a few. These successes, alongside his World Solo win, led to Kerr being named Pipes|Drums Drummer of the Year in 2023. Kerr is a member of Drums n’ Roses, which has taken him all over the world to perform in some of the most renowned venues, such as Sony Music Hall and Times Square.

Megan is multi instrumentalist and singer hailing from the West Highland town of Fort William and is currently ‘Musician of the Year’, as awarded at the 2022 Scots Trad Music Awards. Growing up in a household with 6 older siblings all immersed in music, her path to becoming a musician was almost inevitable. Her early musical training was received through local Feisean and the Lochaber Musical School. Megan went on to study Classical Violin at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where she gained her degree and valuable experience in performance, composition and arrangement. Traditional Scottish music always remained a strong passion and shortly after graduating she joined highly respected Scottish folk group Breabach. In her 12 years with the band, Breabach have carved out international recognition as one of Scotland’s most innovative and creative acts. 6 time winners at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, they have performed for Radio and Television, co-curated cross cultural collaborations and released 7 albums alongside a hectic touring schedule which has seen them play at venues including the Sydney Opera House.

Often cited as having a ‘velvet’ voice, Kim is one of the most sought-after singers and session vocalists that Scotland has to offer, having worked with producers including Jim Sutherland (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen), Donald Shaw (Capercaillie) and Ged Grimes (Simple Minds), and is lead singer for both Mànran and Staran. Her acclaimed debut solo album ‘And So We Gather’ (2022), which brought together an all star cast from fellow Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis to Senegalise Kora player Kadialy Kouyate and award-winning saxophonist Matt Carmichael, is truly captivating.

Murdo comes from a long line of traditional Gaelic singers and was immersed in music growing up Glenelg, a wee village a stones throw across from the Isle of Skye, famous for being twinned with Mars. A member of the Mountain Rescue, Murdo started out as an accordion player and piper, who in the last few years has been a busy guitar accompanist and stringed things enthusiast.

Kevin Auld ia a full-time instructor and performer of the Scottish Highland Bagpipes in and around Seattle, Washington. I am the Band Director for the Northwest Junior Pipe Band as well as teaching private lessons, group lessons, workshops and performing for all types of events.

Hailing from the Scottish Borders, Eryn Rae has been playing the fiddle from the age of 7 under the tuition of renowned Shetland fiddler, Catriona Macdonald. Now based in Glasgow, Eryn studied at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, receiving a First-Class Honours Degree in Traditional Music. As well as picking up the 2022 title of BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year, she was one of four finalists in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award sin 2017 which resulted in a performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Combining influences from all over Scotland, Ireland, Cape Breton and Scandinavia to name but a few, Eryn's style is energetic and distinctive, with hints to elements of each tradition. Eryn has toured both nationally and further afield with various others including as part of rising star Callum Beattie’s band. In March 2022, this included playing a sold out show at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow as support act for Amy MacDonald.