Pipes & Drums

Barry Donaldson was a police officer by profession retiring in 2006 at the rank of Chief Inspector. He is a founding member of the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, formed in 1975 winning 11 World Championships. Prior to this he played with Monktonhall Colliery, Dundee City Police and Lanarkshire Police PBs.

From the late 70s through to the early 90s he was a successful solo piper winning many major light music competitions (CPA premier grade). In 1995 Barry was asked onto the solo piping judges panel, now known as the Solo Piping Judges Association and appointed senior light music adjudicator. He is a pipe band adjudicator with the RSPBA and also an examiner for the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board.

Promotion within the police service precluded further involvement with the police band, however paradoxically this enabled membership of other bands. He consequently focused on lower grades and over the next period found himself pipe majoring the following bands, Strathclyde Fire Service, North Lanarkshire and City of Edinburgh. These bands variously competed in grades 4, 3 and 2, all advancing through the grades winning Championships at each level. On his retirement from the police he was asked to join Shotts and Dykehead and the next few years saw his return to Grade 1. Barry was instrumental in establishing the following youth pipe bands, North Lanarkshire Schools' and City of Edinburgh Schools.In 2006 Barry became a piping instructor with the College of Piping, Glasgow and was invited onto the Board of Directors. He has taught piping locally and internationally and whilst he is no longer part of the COP, teaching remains his current remit.

In his formative years Barry was taught by James Russell and Willie McRostie. PM Ian McLellan was his main influence and teacher.

Bob Worrall is one of North America’s leading teachers, adjudicators and performers. Bob is a respected composer, having published three successful collections of bagpipe music. He is featured on three solo piping recordings and was a member of the folk group “Scantily Plaid”.

After a piping career with a number of Ontario’s leading pipe bands, including the City of Toronto Pipe Band and the General Motors Pipe Band, Bob retired from competitive piping in 1983. His solo accomplishments were extensive, both in North America and Scotland. He won the North American Professional Championship an unprecedented 7 times and the Ontario Professional Championship Supreme title for 12 of his 13 years in the professional class. He was also the 1977 winner of the March and Strathspey/Reel events in Inverness. He was a pupil of Bill Millar, Willie Connell and the late John Wilson. A member of North American and the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association’s judging panels, Bob has been selected to judge the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow on fourteen occasions. For the last twelve years he has been the colour commentator for the BBC’s broadcast of the World Pipe Band Championships. He is a member of the Piobaireachd Society’s Senior Judges list and has adjudicated major competitions throughout the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Brittany and South Africa. Bob’s recent overseas piping ventures have included teaching and performing engagements in Zimbabwe, Australia and Italy. His M.C. skills have been called upon by the Field Marshal Montgomery, Scottish Power, Inveraray and District, and Toronto Police Pipe Bands.

Bob was the senior instructor at the Gaelic College in Cape Breton for 15 years. More recent piping camps have included Kingston (Ontario), the Ohio Scottish Arts School, Lake Diefenbaker (Saskatchewan), Washington State and Oregon, Vancouver Island, Uruguay, Australia and South Africa. Weekend workshops, adjudicating and recitals provide him with a schedule that has taken him to virtually all of the Canadian provinces and 36 U.S. States.

Craig Munro is the Master Craftsman and Director of Wallace Bagpipes. He started learning the chanter at the age of 8 through the Linwood Caledonia Pipe Band under tuition from Gordon Lawrie before joining the Renfrew District Association (latterly Paisley Pipe Band) at the age of 10 under Pipe Major Colin Johnstone where he won various RSPBA Major Championship titles in Novice Juvenile and Juvenile until joining the Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band Under Pipe Major Robert Mathieson at the age of 15. He has played at the top of grade 1 for 20 years with the last 10 years as a member of the St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band where he currently runs their Scottish branch of the bands pipe corp. As well as his commitment to St Laurence O’Toole, Craig is in demand as a guest player and mentor for bands worldwide where he has also won Championships in Europe, Australia, South Africa and North America.

He is in high demand worldwide for his teaching and adjudication services such as Europe, North America and South America. His Understand & Appreciate Your Bagpipes lecture which takes the audience on the journey of an African Blackwood seed through the plantation and harvesting process in Tanzania then a virtual tour of his factory is the highlight of any workshop! He is also an approved IPBA Adjudicator as well as an SQA Assessor for the National Piping Centre. Out with the competing circuit, Craig is also a member of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers touring the world and performing to crowds as large as 60,000 at venues including the SECC Hydro and BT Murrayfield Stadium. As a keen golfer, his favourite Chilli Pipers gig is performing at the 2014 Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland. He has featured on the Disney Pixar “Brave” soundtrack as well as the DreamWorks “How To Train Your Dragon 2 & 3” soundtrack.

David J Hall began playing bagpipes at an early age under the tutelage of his father, Tom Hall. Dave started competing at age 6 and by the time Dave reached his teens, he also reached the professional solo competitive circuit.

In 1993 Dave achieved accreditation from the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association as a judge for solo piping and bands. In 1995 Dave earned additional accreditation as an ensemble judge. From 1994 to 1996, Dave served as President of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association. Dave has also served in many other capacities including EUSPBA Vice President, Officer At Large, Music Board Chair, MidAtlantic Branch Chair and most recently Ombudsman. Dave is a life member and Circle of Honor recipient of the EUSPBA.

Throughout the duration of his piping career, Dave has been a member of the Ulster Scottish Pipe Band. He assumed the role of Pipe Major from his father in 2002. Under Dave's leadership as PM the band won many prizes in North America and Scotland. After 40 years of competitive piping, Dave retired at the conclusion of the 2016 season. Dave currently crafts custom practice chanters and parlour pipes in his workshop and is active judging and conducting workshops for bands.

Dave is passionate about piping and is always willing to offer assistance to those in need through teaching and personal guidance.

Ken Eller, also known as "The Captain", has had a 60 year piping career … 15 times a winner of the North American Pipe Band Championships with two bands: the 78th Fraser Highlanders (1992-2002) and as Pipe Major of the Clan MacFarlane Pipe Band (1971 – 1987). He is now retired from active competition and has expanded his teaching career with on line lessons at www.thecaptainscorner.com. He has been a member of the Piper's and Pipe Band Society of Ontario (PPBSO) since 1962 and is also a member of EUSPBA, the Eastern US Pipe Band Association. In 1984/85 he was admitted to the panel of Adjudicators for both of these organizations. Since 2005, he has been on the panel of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) as an international piping adjudicator.

Originally taught by Richard MacPherson, brother of Hugh MacPherson, the Edinburgh Highland Outfitter, he continued his studies under double Gold Medalist Pipe Major John Wilson, of Edinburgh and Toronto, through the 1960’s. During the 1980’s and early 1990’s he was a managing partner in the bagpipe-making firm of Dunbar-Eller, Ltd, presently Dunbar Bagpipes.

Ken teaches piping full time since retiring from a 32-year career as a mathematics professor at Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology. During the year, he teaches at various piping schools, judges at highland games both in North America and Scotland and runs regular workshops for bands and individuals.

He has judged the Australian, European and World Championships (2012); the New Zealand, North American and World Championships in 2013, the Scottish and World Championships in 2014, the World Championships, 2015, the New Zealand Nationals in 2016, the Scottish and World’s Championships in 2017, the World’s in 2018. Most recently, 2019, he judged the Scottish and the World’s Championship for the RSPBA.

Grant Maxwell is the lead drummer of the Vale United Pipe Band in Penticton, BC. He previously played with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, winning 2 World Pipe Band Championships and 3 World Drum Corps Championships. Grant is a successful solo competitor and competes regularly locally, internationally and online. He is the current World Online Drumming Champion, winning the grand aggregate award for 2022.

Linda has been playing tenor and bass drum for over thirty years. From 1986 through 2016, she spent thirty years competing with the Grade 3 Ulster Scottish Pipe Band, where she played bass and tenor, as well as instructed. During the 2017 competition season, she played tenor drum with the Grade 2 Stuart Highlanders. Linda is an EUSPBA certified tenor and bass drumming judge, as well as a pipe band ensemble judge. She has served the pipe band community in many capacities over the years, including EUSPBA MidAtlantic Branch secretary, DelCo Scottish Games Association secretary, DelCo Workshop administrator, and currently EUSPBA Music Board Secretary, EUSPBA competition results recorder, and Fairhill Scottish Games Piping & Drumming Director.

In addition to judging, Linda spends much of her time teaching bands and individual students, and writing midsection scores for bands and soloists. She is an experienced workshop instructor, having taught both tenor drumming and bass drumming at numerous workshops including the DelCo Workshop, the Pocono Workshop and the National Piping Center Workshop in Winchester, VA.

Linda is a hairstylist by trade, but has been a homemaker for many years. She is married to Dave Hall, EUSPBA piping and ensemble judge, former Pipe Major of Ulster Scottish Pipe Band, and owner and craftsman of Hall Bagpipe Company. They have two adult sons.

Derek was literally “born into Pipe Bands”. As the Great-Grandson and founder of the Ulster Scottish Pipe Band John Hall founded a dynasty. His son and Derek's Grandfather , Tommy Hall led the band for 42 years creating an environment where his mother, aunts and uncles were important in his early development.

Derek has remained the leading drummer for the Ulster Scottish Pipe Band since 2003 and has helped bring them much success. In addition to playing in Ulster, Derek played with Oran Mor (2005-2006) SFU (2007-2013, World Championship Band and Drumming) and joined Inveraray & District in 2015. Over those years, Derek has been lucky enough to win 4 World Pipe Band Championships and 3 World Championship Drum Corps titles.

Some highlights of Derek's solo accomplishments include: North American Champion, EUSPBA Champion, 5 time winner of the North American Gold Medal for Drumming at Winter Storm drummer and frequent finalist of the World Solo Drumming Championships of which he recently placed as high as 5th in the world.

Jim Engle first honed his drill skills as a member of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) doing ceremonial duty around the nation's capital. A Scottish Drum Major for over 40 years, he has received instruction from some of the foremost drum majors in the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain, most notably John Moon, Scots Guards, senior Drum Major of the British Army and Drummer to the Queen. Jim is a three time Champion Supreme of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association (EUSPBA) and two time North American Champion. He is now a Drum Major adjudicator with EUSPBA.

Jim is also a drummer and piper currently piping with the Mohawk Valley Fraser's Grade 5 competition band. Since 1978, he has been the director of Piping and Drumming for the Central New York Scottish Games. He also serves the pipe band community as Executive Secretary of EUSPBA.

A native of Rome, Jim resides in Syracuse, NY with hs wife Joanne, daughter Meredith, and son Christian, who is the Mohawk Valley Fraser's bass drummer.