“My lesson was an epiphany — my instructor put his finger precisely on what I needed to do to improve. Great to have plenty of time on the pipes in class!” Anne Marie deZeeuw, Kentucky session student


Highland Pipes Instructors
George Balderose
Brian Donaldson
Alasdair Gillies
Richmond Johnston
James MacColl
Scot Walker

George Balderose
George Balderose has been studying with some of the world’s top Highland piping instructors for more than three decades. During much of this time, he has been developing methods of teaching piping to adult beginners, and several of his adult Highland piping students have won firsts at EUSPBA-sanctioned piping competitions. George has also been playing and teaching the bellows smallpipes for more than fifteen years. He has performed on the Highland pipes with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, as a soloist for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and with championship Scottish and Irish dancers at concerts and festivals throughout the eastern US. His competitive successes include winning the MacCrimmon Quaich for Grade 1 Piobaireachd four times. George is also a member of the Scottish and Irish performance ensemble Road to the Isles, which is on the Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour/Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation roster.

George will be at the following sessions:
June 13–18, 2010, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California
June 20–25, 2010, Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota
July 11–16, 2010, Shady Side Academy, Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
July 25–30, 2010, Week 2, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 

Brian Donaldson
Pipe Major Brian Donaldson, from Cardenden, Fife, was taught to play the pipes by his father, Pipe Major Andrew Donaldson, a renowned piper and teacher. After leaving school, Brian served his apprenticeship as a bagpipe maker at Inveran House under the guidance of Jimmy Tweedie.

At a young age, Brian was playing with the world famous Dysart & Dundonald pipe band, winning all the major championships in Grade 1. In 1978, Brian enlisted in the Scots Guards and served with the regiment all over the world. He passed his Pipe Majors course at the Army School of Piping, Edinburgh Castle in 1982. After serving in the Falklands War, he was posted to the Army School of Piping as an instructor for three years. On his return to the 2nd Battalion, he was promoted to Pipe Sergeant and shortly after the amalgamation of both battalions in 1993, Brian was promoted to the rank of Pipe Major in 1995.

His tuition skills and playing ability were in demand, and in 1998 he became Pipe Major at the Army training regiment Glencorse. Eventually, the military centralized all Army piping and drumming, and Brian served 22 years at the Army School of Bagpipe & Highland Drumming in Edinburgh.

Throughout Brian’s military career, he has become one of the most renowned pipers in the British army, following in the footsteps of Pipe Major Willie Ross and Pipe Major Angus MacDonald. He has achieved an endless list of prizes, including the Gold Medal, Oban; the Gold medal and two Clasps at the Skye Invitational; the Bratach Gorm, London; second in the Gold medal at the Northern Meetings, three times; the Donald MacDonald, Quaich; the MSR Argyllshire Gathering, three times; MSR Northern Meetings, achieving a double in 1984; winning both MSR competitions at Oban and Inverness in the same year, the MSR London and MSR Grants competition; and numerous invitations to the famous Grants whisky invitational competition.

After a successful military career, Brian has now gone full circle, back to his trade as a bagpipe craftsman taking the name of Inveran Bagpipe Makers into the 21st century. He continues to compete at a high level, very much in tune with the ‘Stradivarius’ Great Highland Bagpipe instrument he is playing and produces at the Inveran workshop.

Brian will be at the following sessions:
June 13–18, 2010, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California
June 20–25, 2010, Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota
June 27–July 2, 2010, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois
July 11–16, 2010, Shady Side Academy, Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
July 18–23, 2010, Week 1, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 
July 25–30, 2010, Week 2, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 

Alasdair Gillies
Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies has had an astounding number of successes at piping competitions, winning more Highland bagpiping championships than anyone in recent history. Alasdair won every event he entered at the Northern Meeting in Inverness in 1986. He won the Inverness Former Winners MSR 11 times between 1986 to 2005, more than anyone previously. And in 2002, he won the Glenfiddich Championship MSR for the sixth time. No wonder the readers of Piper & Drummer magazine named Alasdair as the best piper of the 20th century. Alasdair is also in demand as a teacher and piping competition judge. For more than twelve years, he lead the piping program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And he formerly served 17 years as piper and Pipe Major with the Queen’s Own Highlanders, preparing recruits to be regimental pipers. He is also a member of the Spirit of Scotland, an all star Grade 1 pipe band comprised of the world’s top solo players for competing at the 2008 World Pipe Band Championships, and featured in the documentary On the Day. Alasdair is the principal piping instructor for Balmoral School. He is also represented by Music Tree Artist Management, performing solo and with his ensemble Píobaire.

Alasdair will be at the following sessions:
June 13–18, 2010, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California
June 20–25, 2010, Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota
June 27–July 2, 2010, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois
July 11–16, 2010, Shady Side Academy, Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
July 18–23, 2010, Week 1, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 
July 25–30, 2010, Week 2, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 

Richmond_Vassar'09
Richmond Johnston became a Balmoral School administrator shortly after his first attendance at the school in 1991. Serving that post, he’s had the opportunity to study with Mike Cusack, Alasdair Gillies, Norman Gillies, Jack Lee, James MacColl, John MacDoughall, Iian MacLellan, Jimmy McIntosh, Adrian Melvin, Gordon Mooney, Iian Morrison, Donald MacPhee, Jackie Pincet, Nancy Tunnicliffe, Scot Walker, and John Wilson. He’s an experienced solo piper and also competes with the Grade 3 Capital Region Celtic Pipe Band of Albany, New York. A number of his students have become award-winning pipers. Being a late starter himself, and having many adult students, he enjoys teaching the adult beginner.

Richmond will be at the following sessions:
July 18–23, 2010, Week 1, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 
July 25–30, 2010, Week 2, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 

James MacColl
James MacColl was born in 1928 in Shotts, Scotland. Jim’s first teacher was P/M Tom McAllister. He later received tuition from P/M Willie Ross, Iain MacPherson and Robert Reid. He was a member of the Shotts & Dykehard Pipe Band from 1939 to 1950. Between 1950 and 1954, he won most of the major piping awards in Scotland, including the aggregate at Cowal, four years in succession, and the Oban Gold Medal. He emigrated to California in 1955 and, since that time, has taught many of the top players on the west coast of the US.

Jim will be at the following session:
June 13–18, 2010, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California

Scot Walker
Scot Walker of Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania was rated #1 Overall Solo Piping Competitor 7 out of 8 years by the Eastern US Pipe Band Association. He has won firsts at nearly all of the major US Solo Championships. In Scotland, he has won first prizes in the professional competitions at the games in Dornoch, Strathpeffer, Lonach, and Cowal, and others. Currently, he serves on the Music Faculty of Moravian College as instructor of Bagpipe Music. His students have distinguished themselves at EUSPBA Amateur competitions throughout the eastern US.

Scot will be at the following sessions:
July 18–23, 2010, Week 1, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 
July 25–30, 2010, Week 2, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 

“From the individual attention to the basic fundamentals of drum maintenance, this was a well-rounded education — all in 4 ½ days.”
Gwyneth Duncan, California session student

Scottish Snare and Bass Drum Instructors
Gordon Bell
Andrew Hoinacki
Jon Quigg

Gordon Bell
Gordon Bell began drumming at the age of eight under the guidance of Norman MacLeod in the Kenmure Pipeband. He also received tuition from the legendary Alec Duthart. Gordon took over the corp in 1975; the band eventually changed the name to the Parlin & District.The band and corp dominated the pipeband scene throughout the 80s in the EUSPBA, winning the North American Championship in Grade 2, and placing them in Grade 1. He has also been a member of Muirhead & Sons, Kenmure, Worcester Kiltie, 78th Fraser Highlanders, and the City of Washington Pipe Bands. Gordon also saw a great deal of success in the solo field winning the EUSPBA Overall Champion each year from 1979 to 1987. He has recorded with The Empire Brass Quintet, 78th Frasers Live in Scotland, and with his own Celtic Rock group 51 Ash in which he plays the bass guitar.

Gordon will be at the following sessions:
June 20–25, 2010, Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota
July 18–23, 2010, Week 1, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 
July 25–30, 2010, Week 2, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 

Andrew Hoinacki
Andrew Hoinacki started drumming at six years old and in the few years to follow learned tenor, bass and snare. After formative years in a junior band program, he has been competing with bands in Grade 2 and Grade 1 since the age of 14, including eight years as a leading drummer. Andrew’s solo accolades at the Professional level include MWPBA Champion Supreme, WUSPBA Champion Supreme, and United States Champion, in addition to many awards in the amateur grades. His well-rounded experience and down-to-earth approach have made him a sought-after instructor for all forms of pipe band drumming and band coaching. Even at his young age, he has served as an active adjudicator of drumming and ensemble for a decade, and is currently recognized on both the MWPBA and WUSPBA judging panels. Andrew is a native of Chicago where he is a business consultant and oversees multiple services advancing the art and education of Scottish drumming.

Andrew will be at the following sessions:
June 13–18, 2010, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California
June 27–July 2, 2010, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois

Jon Quigg
Jon Quigg began his drumming career in the Annapolis Pipe Band in Maryland at the age of 13. His primary influences include John Bosworth, Tom Kee and Alex Duthart. In 1976, at the age of 16, he moved into the professional solo competitor ranks and into the Grade 2 Denny and Dunipace Pipe Band of Washington, DC. He became Drum Sergeant of the “the Denny band,” now named the City of Washington Pipe Band, in 1989 and his solo and band successes continued through today — not the least of which was a Grade 2 World Championship in 1999. Today, City of Washington is only one of three Grade 1 pipe bands in the US and Jon is its drum sergeant. Since 1980, he has been a pipe band drumming clinician around the country and as far afield as Tokyo and Hong Kong, and continues to teach, compose and perform.

Jon will be at the following session:
July 11–16, 2010, Shady Side Academy, Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania