WUSPBA provides this unofficial list soley as a convenience for the public. The individuals listed below have not had their qualifications screened to meet any criteria, other than they may have paid dues to become a member of WUSPBA. These individuals have provided their own biographies which have not been investigated for accuracy. Potential students are encouraged to fully evaluate possible instructors. WUSPBA assumes no responsibility should a listed individual not meet your expectations in any respect.
If you feel you are a qualified instructor and would like to be listed, please submit information as listed below to the webmaster.
If you discover that any of information is below is no longer valid (disconnected phone number, bounced e-mails, retired) please notify the webmaster.
| Name & E-mail | City, State | Phone Number | Pipes | Snare | Tenor | Bass | D/M | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allan, John | Glendale, CA | 818-243-7011 | P | Member of the L.A. Scots Pipe Band. 25 years piping experience and recording artist - available to help in band, solo, composition and playing bagpipes with other instruments. Visit my website at www.bagpipetamer.com | ||||
| Aguero, Mark | Hawthorne, CA | 310-489-6557 | DM |
Active in Scottish Style Drum Majoring for over 15 years. Adjudicator
for California State High School Drum Major Circuit (Tom Peacock) since
1986 having judged state finals 10 times. |
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| Bartlit, John | Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM | 505-262-4993 | S | T | B | Professional drummer with several years pipe band drumming experience. | ||
| Bautz, Melissa (formerly Pratt) | Lander, WY | 307-330-7539 | P | Piping 20 years. Instructors include James McColl, John MacAskill, and Ian Whitelaw (current teacher). Currently competing Grade I - level WUSPBA competitor. Plays Ceol Beag and Ceol Mor. Will teach beginner level through Grade III. Melissa is building her own Grade IV band in Lander, Wyoming (Population ~7,000). There are currently four member pipers and three guest pipers in her band, the Lander Volunteer Fire Department Pipe Band. | ||||
| Becker, Reil | Denver, CO | 720-384-4682 | P | I have been playing for several years, and competiting successfully at the grade 1 level. I am currently a member of the Windsor Police Pipe Band grade 1, and a retired member of the successful Colorado Skye Pipe Band. I have studied under great instructors such as Allisdair Gillies, John Cairns, and Bruce Gandy, and am available for instruction. If you are interested in lessons, or have any questions about the set up of an efficiant bagpipe, give me a call. | ||||
| Brown, Malcolm | Falkirk, Scotland | 505-262-4993 | S | T | B | DM | I am a semi retired Pipe Band Drum Instructor teaching at various schools in the Edinburgh Area of Scotland but mainly at the Edinburgh Academy before I was retired. I played with the British Caledonian Airways Pipe Band before they were disbanded then went into full time teaching. During this time with them the Band visited San Diego. Whilst I was teaching at The Edinburgh Academy, we won the Scottish Schools Championship twice in 1996 and 2000. In 2000 I won the Drumming outright. I would like very much to come to America to teach at possibly a school or college or with a Band. | |
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Calvillo, Darrell A. |
Glendora, CA | 626-826-0381 | P | Successful soloist and pipe sergeant of the James J. Coyne Memorial Pipe Band (Grade II). Experienced solo and band instructor for the James J. Coyne Memorial School of Piping and Drumming. thebagpipeconnection.tripod.com |
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| Coyne, Seumas | Claremont, CA | 909-972-6262 | P | Accomplished piper with over 30 years experience in bands and solos at professional level. Experienced teaching all levels and abilities: beginning through professional level. Also available for band clinics/instruction. Please see my web site: bagpipetutor.com | ||||
| Dalpias, Emily | Ogden, Utah | 801-710-7980 | T | B | I have been playing scottish tenor drum for about 4 years. I also did a year play Bass drum for my band. I am currently the drum sargeant for Ben Lomond High School Pipe Corps. For 3 years I have been under the instruction of Tyler Fry at the Mastery of Scottish Arts drumming school and I am currently the WUSPBA Grade II Tenor Solo Champion for 2003. I teach drumming at Ben Lomond High school and privately. | |||
| D'avenas, Michel | Monterey, CA | 831-372-2020 | P | S | Teaching pipes all levels for approx. 30 years. Pipe major for the Monterey Scottish Grade III pipe band 1975 to 1983. Pipe Major for the Monterey/Salinas pipe band 1997 till present. | |||
| Don Carlos, William | Tucson, AZ | 520-907-4460 | P | Pipe Major of the Seven Pipers Scottish Society Pipe Band in Tucson, AZ. Beginning classes and a beginner’s pipe corps on Tuesday evenings in addition to the regular Monday night pipe band rehearsal. Private instruction available. www.sevenpipers.org | ||||
| Foster, Dick & Gwen | Mariposa, CA | 209-966-2832 | P | Dick has been playing in Grade 4 bands for nearly 40 years and Gwen for about 25. Both have served as Pipe Major at various times and for the last 10 years or so have been teaching the Fresno band. Students in the Fresno area can receive instruction at the reguar band practice on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 7. | ||||
| Goodman, DeAnn | Cedar Hills, UT | 801-785-9178 | P | 22 yrs experience in solo and band playing. 20 yrs experience instructing new students. Currently Pipe Major of the Utah Pipe Band and soloing in Grade II. | ||||
| Graham, Kathleen Nicholson
Knicholsonpm@aol.com |
Stanton, CA | 7l4-534-8097 | P | My father, the late PM Malcolm Nicholson C.M. was PM of the Vancouver Police Pipe Band for 17 years, started me on the bagpipes when I was 4-1/2 years old. When I was 6 years old I was awarded the youngest piper in Canada trophy. When I was 12, I joined the Vancouver Ladies P.B. At 16, joined the Glengarry Girls P.B. In 1953 won the Aggregate piping with Willie Ross and John Burgess judging in Vancouver, B.C. Moved to Santa Monica, CA in 1966 and I started teaching the bagpipes. In 1981 started the Nicholson Pipes and Drums with all my own pipe pupils. In 1985, returned to Canada to caregive my father, turned the Pipe Majorship over to my pupil Robert Hackney. Returned to Orange County in 2002 and started teaching again. | ||||
| Gunn, William J. | Salt Lake City, UT | 801-265-0630 | S | Drum Sergeant of the Utah Power Salt Lake Scots. 17 years of pipe band drumming experience. Active member of WUSPBA as a solo grade 1 competitor. 1993 DCI semi finalist with the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corp. A member of the University of Utah marching band, Section leader in 1993 and 1994. Alberta, Canada grade 2 champion in 2001 and WUSPBA grade 1 champion in 2004. I'm currently an instructor of the Celtic Center in Salt Lake City, Utah teaching Scottish drumming. | ||||
| Harrington, Jim | Glencoe, Ill | 847-242-0148 | DM | Drum Major for 34 years. WUSPBA Senior DM Adjudicator for 23 years. | ||||
| Hoinacki, Andrew | Laguna Niguel, CA | 714-392-7241 | S | T | B | Over 20 years of championship experience in solo snare, bass and tenor and in bands of all grades. Actively competitive in Professional snare solos and spent two years leading a Grade 1 drum corps. More than 10 years teaching soloists and bands, all to winning results. WUSPBA "A" Judge for drumming and ensemble with experience throughout the U.S. Principal Staff of www.ScottishDrumming.com, an educational services partnership. Private tuition at my home available during the week. Will travel anywhere for weekend workshops! Call today to set up a session!! | ||
| Howland, Justin | Salt Lake City, UT | 801-231-3237 | P | I have been playing the bagpipes since 1994 and currently compete Grade I in both the WUSPBA and BC Pipers. I am one of two instructors for the Wasatch and District Pipe Band, a former member of Prince Charles Pipe Band (Grade I) and current member of the Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band. I have limited availability but will take on new students who are serious about learning. For more information view my website: www.justpipes.org | ||||
| Knowles, Richard | Mesa, AZ | 480-833-9215 | P | 25 years playing experience. Playing instructor for the Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band, current playing member of Cabar Feidh Pipe Band (Studio City, Ca). Head instructor for the Southwest School of Bagpiping, located in Mesa, Az. | ||||
| Lujan-Shaw, Mickie | Los Angeles, CA | 818-486-4439 | T | DM | 5 time World Championships Best Overseas Drum Major, North
American Champion, 4th at the World Championships. Won at every major contest
in Western U.S. Drum Major for 18 years with the Cameron Highlanders of
San Diego. WUSPBA Drum Major judge. Available for private/group, workshops,
and pipe band marching / drill instruction. Students include a Juvenile
World Champion, four California State high school champions, and two WUSPBA
champions. Have mace, Will travel. Tenor drum instructor. Flourishing (spinning) instruction a specialty. |
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| MacHeffner, Kevin | Mesa, AZ | 602-363-3617 | S | T | B | DM | 3rd in Adult Drum Majors at the 2004 World Pipe Band Championships, Band Experience in Grades 4, 3 and 1. Professional teaching experience. Will travel. Visit www.ScottishDrumming.com for more info! | |
| Machen, Don | Los Alamos/Santa Fe, NM | 505-662-3476 | P | Pipe Major of a Grade IV band, solo judge for grades 2/3/4 and completed the III/IV band apprentice judge shadowing program. Currently competing Gd. I in piobaireachd. | ||||
| McKee, Mike | Mayer, AZ | 520-632-9639 | P | Over 25 years of playing experience. I compete successfully at the grade II level and I am a member of the Mesa Caledonian Pipe Band. I am an instructor and advisor for the Arizona Highlanders Pipe Band in Flagstaff, Arizona. | ||||
| MacLeod, Scott | Phoenix, AZ | 513-238-1757 | P | Former member of 78th Fraser Highlanders, Peel Regional Police, North Coast Pipe Band, 87th Cleveland pipeband, and current member of Mesa Caledonia. Professional level player. Over 10 years teaching pipers of all levels. I also do band workshops and can teach Piobaireachd. Also available for phone lessons. | ||||
| McMaster, Dennis | Salt Lake City, UT | 801-484-7733 | P | Teaching since 1976 with an emphasis on using canntaireachd. Member of The Celtic Center staff. Pipe Major of the Salt Lake Scots since 1983. Specialize in training from beginners to accomplished pipers. |
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| Mitchell, John | Modesto, CA | -- | P | Have played with top Grade 1 world class Canadian Pipe Bands for 27 years and won many Solo championships in Ontario, Canada. Currently teaching players of all levels and conducting workshops for pipe bands. | ||||
| Campbell Naismith | San Diego, CA | -- | P | Experienced, professional piping instruction for children aged 7 - 14 years. See www.vortexstreetmusic.com for resume and more information. | ||||
| Packer, Daniel | Las Vegas, NV | 702-243-9023 | P | Pipe Major and Instructor of the Desert Skye Pipes & Drums. | ||||
| Partanen, John Eric PhD | Bakersfield, CA | 661-817-5950 | P | Professional Piper since 1961. Qualified instructor of piping with particular experience in Piobaireachd. | ||||
| Payne, Fred | Point Richmond, CA | 805-264-6601 | P | Piper since 1966, teaching since 1972. 2004 WUSPBA Grade III Solo Champion and band piper. | ||||
| Postma, Mike | Bountiful, UT | 801-294-2391 | S | T | B | Current DS of the Wasatch & District Pipe Band. I have been drumming since 1990, and have been in many musical ensembles. I was on a percussion performance scholarship at the University of Utah for 3 years, until my studies in Engineering demanded too much of my time to continue. I continued playing as DS in the Utah Pipe Band (Grade III) for the remainder of my college years, and I then helped with the formation of the W&D PB. I teach students of all ages and of all ability levels. | ||
| Rawlinson, Ian | Orem, UT | 818-577-3225 | P | Over 20 years of experience. Received primary instruction from Seamus and James Coyne from the age of 9. I studied piobreachd under James McColl. Offering professional instruction to all levels. References available upon request. | ||||
| Reoch, Tom | Hawthorne, CA | 310-539-4302 | P | I am the PM for the Misty Isle Pipe Band. I have been playing over 20 years and have received many awards. For more information please visit www.scbagpiper.com. I teach all levels and beginners are most welcome. Any age, and gender, any level. | ||||
| Richey, Janice | Marin County, CA | P | As Pipe Major of the MacIntosh Pipe Band, Grade IV, I have been involved in teaching adult beginning pipers for over two decades. I love the fact that all my students are fulfilling a dream and I understand that they will move at exactly the rate they need and want to. | |||||
| Robinson, Denise | Prescott, AZ | 928-443-5191 | P | I have been playing over 27 years; competed with Sacramento Camerons, Nicholson Pipes & Drums, Misty Isle Pipe Band. | ||||
| Robinson, Tom | Modesto, CA | -- | P | S | T | B | DM | Tom Robinson is from Canada and is a past member of MacNish Distillery PB, Glenmor PB, 78th Frasers PB, and St. Thomas Police PB (all Grade I bands). With over 34 years of experience with people like Alex Duthart, Jim Kilpatrick, John Cairns, Jake Watson, Bill Livingstone, John Walsh, Duncan Gibson, and Luke Allan to name a few. Tom has won almost every top prize in North American through the years and has had winning students in ever grade. Tom is a past Pipe Major of several lower grade bands and former leading drummer of the St. Thomas Police, Grade I. Tom is a Champion Supreme winner in open Snare for Ontario, Canada, was co-owner of the Norm Campbell memorial school of music. Tom also teaches many other Celtic instruments. |
| Rock, David | Rexburgh, ID | 208-656-0059 | P | Pipe Major of the Henry's Fork Pipes and Drums. Group or individual lessons available. 20 years experience. | ||||
| Salter, Jay
jaysalter [at] cruzio.com |
Santa Cruz, CA | 831-429-5836 | P | Pipe Major of Santa Cruz Pipes & Drums. Piping for over 30 years, many prize-winning students, including piobaireachd. BayAreaBagpiper.com | ||||
| Shaw, Aaron | Los Angeles, CA | 323-665-PIPER (7473) | P | Over 25 years of experience. Piper with Los Angeles Police, Wicked Tinkers. Instructor at the College of Piping Summer School for 6 years. Holder of Institute of Piping Senior and Teaching Certificates. Professional level competitor and prize winner at home and overseas. All levels, light music and Piobaireachd. | ||||
| Sherwood, Iain | San Leandro, CA | 510-569-1689 | P | Solo instructor for the last ten years, piping for over thirty-five years in bands and as soloist. Current member of Scottish Piping Society of London, Eagle Pipers Edinburgh, Piobaireachd Society. I published my own tutor book in 1993, now in its fourth printing. Group piping sessions are Thursdays at All Saints Episcopal Church in San Leandro. I teach all levels from absolute beginners to piobaireachd in one-on-one lessons. Weekly group sessions reinforce the learning process and provide additional exposure to playing pipes, learning tuning, and reed techniques. | ||||
| Skinner, Bob | Redding, CA | 530-243-5240 | P | Piping for 25+ years. Music director/instructor of the Jefferson Pipe Band (South), Redding California. Instructors: Past - Seamus MacNeill, Dr. John MacAskill, Tom McVey, Murray Huggins. Current - Rob Jeffs. Will teach: Beginner through Grade 3. |
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| Speed, Gary | Modesto, CA | 209-404-8034 | P | Played with City of Sacramento Pipe Band, founder and instructor for the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Pipe Band. Consistent winner in grade 4 and grade 3 solo contests. Passed the grade 3 test at the College of Piping in Glasgow, Scotland. | ||||
| Whitelaw, Ian | Redondo Beach, CA | 310-634-9726 | P | 35 years experience as an accomplished soloist, competitor, performer, band leader and teacher. Winner of U.S. Gold Medal for Piobaireachd. Please visit my web site at www.aceltictraveler.com | ||||
| Willis, Malcolm | Westminster, CA | 714-895-4127 | S | I'm currently the lead tip and co-director of the Nicholson Pipes and Drums, which was founded by my mother Kahtleen Nicholson Graham P.M. and was named in honour of my grandfather. The band is currently under the direction of P.M. Robert Hackney. I've been living in Westminster since 1983 with my wife and two daughters. I have over 4 decades of pipe band and modern drumming experience and have openings for drum students in the Orange County and South Bay areas. I specialize in the young and adult beginning students. | ||||
| Wilson, Dennis | Loveland, CO | 970-613-9090 | P | I have over 40 years' experience playing the Great Highland Bagpipe. I am very active in pipe bands, having performed with The New Zealand Police Pipe Band at the Grade I Worlds in Scotland numerous times. Since leaving New Zealand and settling in Colorado I have been appointed the Pipe Major and Musical Director for the Fort Collins Pipe Band. I am now offering private lessons to all grades of pipers. I am also available for weddings, memorials, and other gigs. Please see my website at www.pinewoodpiper.com for more information. |