john cairns

bagpipe instruction in ontario canada

Bagpipe Solutions by John Cairns is owned and operated under the professional direction of John Cairns.

John is recognized today as one of the World’s top bagpipers.

He has studied under the best teachers in both Canada and Scotland and as a soloist, has won many of the major prizes in North America, including:

Four Pipers’ and Pipe Band Society of Ontario Champion Supreme Designations,
Three North American Champion Titles,
The Piobaireachd Society Canadian Gold Medal,
Three Livingstone Invitational Contests
Three Fergus Gold Medals for Light Music; and The Bratach Gorm.
The Bratach Gorm.

In 1999, John achieved a feat that every piper dreams of, he became the 11th person in the history of piping and the only person from outside of Scotland to win the two Highland Society of London Gold Medals for solo piping at both Oban and Inverness, Scotland in the same year.

As a teacher, John holds the internationally recognized Institute of Piping’s Senior Teacher’s Certificate and teaches regularly all over North America. John is also an accredited evaluator for the Institute of Piping.

As Director of a National Music Program in the Canadian Forces, John trained over ten thousand students in the Cadet Pipes and Drums Training Program.

John is a member of the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band from Toronto, Ontario, winners of the 1987 Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championships.

Before joining the 78th Fraser’s in 1996, he was the Pipe Major (Director) of the St. Thomas Police Grade 1 Pipe Band.