I come originally from Aberdeenshire in the North East of Scotland, though I have lived in many different places during a thirty year career in the military.  I started piping at the age of eight and was fortunate to have a good grounding in all aspects of piping by the time my military career began, when I joined the Gordon Highlanders Regiment.  I held a number of Pipe Major positions in the army over the years, culminating in the appointment of Director of Army Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming. In 2008 I was awarded an MBE for my services to piping in the military and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.  After leaving the military, I spent nine years at The National Piping Centre in Glasgow, teaching the degree students at The Royal Conservatoire BA Scottish Music course.

During this time I was appointed a senior judge for the Solo Piping Judges Association. This has given me the opportunity and privilege to adjudicate at all the major solo piping competitions including the prestigious Glenfiddich Piping Championships on several occasions.  Also at this time I published my first collection of compositions “Land of Bens and Glens and Heroes” which has been well received in the piping world and of which I am very proud. Using the experience I had gained from the many years participating in The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, latterly as the Director of Massed Pipes and Drums, I very much wanted to continue in this role outside the military.

I was fortunate to be offered the position of Director of Massed Pipes and Drums for The Basel Tattoo in Switzerland, a position I have held since 2007 much to my pleasure!  I have maintained pipe band connections over the years, notably as a member of The Spirit of Scotland pipe band and currently as a proud member of the Atholl Highlanders pipe band.  I am also an honorary member of The Vancouver Police Pipe Band and the only non Canadian to be honoured in this way – a privilege indeed.

I am now living in Perthshire with my wife Wanda and enjoying a quieter life, though not by any means in retirement! I have competed as a solo piper in the past and been successful at the highest level and although these days are behind me now, I remain active as a player.  I particularly enjoy performing with an orchestra or other ensemble, which gives me the chance to express my musicality in a variety of genres.

I have always composed throughout my piping career, but this has come to fruition during the last twenty years, primarily due to my involvement with musical event production. I very much enjoy the process of composing and in fact, I find it very stimulating.  I am currently putting the final touches to a new collection of compositions, with over fifty new works included. The book is entitled “The Parkgrove Collection“ and it is now available.