In 1982, I moved to Ontario to join the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, and this was where I began to mature as a player. Playing in a band that was at the forefront of innovation was tremendous, and there was a great need for new music for the band to play. This inspired me very much and I began to be called upon to compose very particular elements of a medley. "He has a gift for writing what we need, at any particular time for the band whether it be a medley tune or a Jig or a piece in a certain rhythm, he always came back next Sunday with our answer," recalled Bill Livingstone.

I spent 15 wonderful years with the 78th, traveling to Scotland each year as well as a variety of venues to perform concerts. These concerts were very taxing both physically and mentally but the reward always far outweighed the pain. Playing Live in Ireland before a packed house of 900 may possibly be the highlight of my piping career. A world championship, three live recordings, 13 North American championships and many life long friends-- who could ask for anything more than that?

In 1997 I moved to Summerside, Prince Edward Island to take over as Piping Instructor at the College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts. I worked there for three years, setting up individualized study programs where again I met some truly wonderful people, as well as teaching the students from the local area on a weekly basis. Part of the job was being Pipe Major of the College of Piping Pipe Band, which meant teaching all of the fundamentals of pipe band playing as well as choosing and arranging all of the music for the band. This led to more composing to try to give a lower grade band a fresh edge, which eventually led to my 3rd book of music being published. Having not played in a lower grade band as a youth, I feel that this was a great learning experience for me.

In 1998, after an eight-year absence from the Northern Meeting at Inverness, I returned to the world’s top competition and won the Competing Pipers Silver Medal, along with 2nd in the jig and hornpipe and 3rd in the Strathspey and Reel. I returned for the Gold Medal in 1999 and was fortunate enough to win both the March and Strathspey and Reel but no prize in the medal. The medals did come, however. I won the Inverness Gold Medal in 2003 [photo at right: Piping Times] and I was able to capture theOban medal the following year. Following that, I also captured the Bratach Gorm [Blue Banner] at the London Contest, and I have been very honoured to compete in the Glenfiddich Championship.

What I've taken away from these experiences, apart from the honour of the prizes, is the joy of playing with great pipers, and having such a fellowship of friends from many parts of the world, who all pursue this music with such passion, dedication and skill.