Following a career as a Piper in the British Army, the Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band and, upon amalgamation, the Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band which spanned a period of thirty years, I accepted a position as Head of Bagpipe Studies with The Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces.  Since completion of my contract in the Middle East, I have been involved in teaching individual students from The National Piping Centre as well as the Pipe Corps of the University of Edinburgh Officer Training Corps and Colinton and Currie Pipe Band.

When I joined the Edinburgh City Police in 1967, the Force boasted one of the best pipe bands in the world.  During my service, the band won the World Pipe Band Championship Competition on three occasions – 1971,1972 and 1975 – and the Scottish Pipe Band Association’s first Intercontinental Championship in 1975.  In addition, the band consistently won other prizes in the competitive field and I personally competed successfully in many solo competitions.

Upon retiral from the Police, I continued my competitive band piping and became a member of the Black Bottle Pipe Band (Renfrew) under the direction of Pipe Major Iain McLeod. After a period of time with this band, it became obvious that the travel time involved conflicted with other commitments and I joined the Scottish Gas Caledonia Pipe Band in Edinburgh.

As I no longer compete, I am able to perform at a large number of private and corporate functions, including weddings, and am free to travel any distance at short notice. 

In the course of my piping career, I have travelled throughout the world.  It has been my privilege to be invited to perform in many countries including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Dubai, Eire, Guam, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sultanate of Oman, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S.A.