Sandy Jones Director and Piping Instructor Sandy Jones began piping at the age of 8 under George Mars of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He served with the U.S. Air Force Pipe Band and was Pipe Major of this organization for 8 years. As a member of the pipe band he often performed for Presidents, Heads of State, and dignitaries of foreign nations. During his tenure in the Air Force he continued his studies of the bagpipe with Jack Chisolm of Inverness, Scotland and the late John MacFadyen of Glascow, Scotland. In 1970, he and John MacFadyen co-founded the North American Academy of Piping which, over the years, has proven to be an excellent source of instruction on the bagpipe. Sandy is the author of the tutor 'Beginning the Bagpipe'. He travels throughout North America judging at highland games, conducting workshops, and performing at recitals. He recently retired from The Citadel in Charleston, SC where he taught bagpipes for twenty-five years. Currently he is active with the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games (http://gmhg.org) and the Charleston Scottish Games (http://www.charlestonscots.com/csghg/).
Ed Neigh Piping Instructor Ed Neigh has long been a highly recognized member of the piping scene in Ontario, Canada. He has won many solo piping honors including: The Dunvegan Medal at Portlee, Isle of Skye The Open March at Oban Best Overseas Player at Braemar three years running The North American Solo Championship Piobaireachd Society (Canada) Gold Medal and Bar While traveling widely throughout North America judging, performing recitals, teaching at summer schools, and conducting workshops, Ed has also been called upon to judge at The World Pipe Band Championships. He can also be heard on a variety of piping and pipe band recordings.
Bill Caudill Piping Instructor Bill Caudill is a native of Waxhaw, NC and began piping at the age of 9 with the Charlotte Caledonian Pipe Band. He began attending the North American Academy of Piping in 1981 and credits much of his success to tuition received there from Sandy Jones and the late Hamilton Workman. In his teen years he joined the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders and was Pipe Major of that band from 1987-1990. He also played briefly with the Charleston Police Pipe Band during their time in Grade II. In 1991 he founded the St. Andrews Presbyterian College Pipe Band which has since become one of the top bands in the Southeast. He has also studied with the late Messrs. Fred and Ronald Morrison at the College of Piping in Glasgow and has received additional tuition from Colin MacLellan and Ed Neigh. Bill is a member of the EUSPBA Judges Panel and Education Committee. He resides in Laurinburg, NC where he a faculty member serving as Director of the Scottish Heritage Center and Instructor of the College Pipe Band at St. Andrews Presbyterian College.
Greg Abbott Piping Instructor Greg, originally from Michigan, now resides in Kokomo, IN. He was a member of the Guelph Pipe Band, North American Champions, under the direction of Pipe Major Ed Neigh. Among his many accomplishments, he was the Amateur Grade 1 Champion Supreme in Ontario, then began his professional career at the age of 16 and won the Piobaireachd Society (Canada) Gold Medal. Over the years he has studied with such piping greats as P/M Frank Edgely, P/M Ed Neigh, Mr. John Goodnow, Captain John MacLellan, and currently with Mr. Wllie Connell. By profession Greg is high school teacher and teaches both German and History.
Jim Dillahey Piping Instructor Jim began piping at the age of 10 in Dunedin, FL under the tutelage of Sandy Keith and currently studies with Sandy Jones, Ed Neigh, and Ronnie Lawrie. Jim is the Director of Piping at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in Charleston, SC as well as the P/M of the Charleston Police Pipes and Drums which has bands competing in Grades II, IV, and V. He is a past member of The City of Dunedin, The Citadel, and The City of Washington Pipe Bands. He is an active soloist competing at the professional level in the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association as well as being successful across North America and in Scotland. Jim also holds a Masters Degree in Education from The Citadel.
Brian Yates Piping Instructor Brian began playing pipes in 1972. He has studied under such fine instructors as Hector Cameron, Hammie Workman, Sandy Jones, Donald Lindsay, and Jim Stack. He has won numerous awards as a Grade 1 competitor. Brian holds a Master degree in Teaching and makes his living teaching pipes at St Paul's School, Phillips Exeter Academy, and privately. Brian is also an expert in the field of Celtic Art.
William L. Logan Piping Instructor Bill began his piping career at the age of 8 in Flint, MI, under the tutelage of Charles W. Thompson and later with George R. Duncan. In 1954 he went to Edinburgh and studied Piobaireachd with Captain Donald R. McLennan. Bill competed successfully in both amateur and professional levels in USA, Canada, and Scotland before joining the U.S. Air Force Pipe Band. Bill holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and is a retired Educational Specialist at East Carolina University, School of Medicine. He now lives in Seven Devils, NC.
Colin MacLellan Piping Instructor Colin was born in Dingwall in the Highlands of Scotland in 1958. He was taught piping by Jack Crichton at George Heriot’s School and by his father, Captain John A MacLellan, MBE. He has won all of the North American and most of the world’s premier piping prizes, including the Gold Medals at Oban and Inverness. A resident of Canada for 22 years, Colin has played in six grade one pipe bands, The City of Toronto, Parlin and District, the 78th Fraser Highlanders and has served as Pipe Major of the Glengarry Pipe Band in the 1980’s and as Pipe Major of Edinburgh’s Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band. At present he is a member of Scotland’s Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band. Colin has taught at numerous summer schools in North America, including many previous years at The North American Academy of Piping. He has worked at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow and The Edinburgh Academy since moving back to Scotland in 1999 and at present teaches and works at his reedmaking business in Edinburgh.
Lyric Todkill Piping Instructor A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University's conservatory of music, Lyric is the second person in the world to hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music performance on the bagpipe. After a successful amateur career, including overall wins at the George Sheriff, Nicol-Brown, and United States Piping Foundation, Lyric upgraded to professional in 2003. Since then, he has been a member of the Scottish Lion 78th Fraser Highlanders and a regular prizewinner in North America and Scotland. Results include placing at the U.S. Gold Medal, Canadian Gold Medal, and the Silver Medal at Inverness. In addition to competitive piping, Lyric teaches the St. Thomas' Episcopal School Pipe Band in Houston, Texas. The 5-time juvenile World Champions won their most recent World title in 2006 and were first at the North American Championships in 2008.
Gordon Warburton Piping Instructor Gordon is the Pipe Major of the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders and has led the band to numerous championships during his tenure. He has played with the band since 1986 and served as Pipe Sergeant from 1994 - 1996. Gordon began piping in 1969 and has received instruction from Ed Krintz, Sandy Jones, Colin MacLellan, Hamilton Workman, Mike Cusak, and Jimmy MacIntosh.
Jon Shell Piping Instructor Jon started piping at age 12 with Timmy Krintz and Harvey Ritch with the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders. Jon received instruction from Sandy Jones, both from private lessons and at the North American Academy of Piping. He also was taught by John MacFayden, Duncan MacFayden, Hamilton Workman, Captain John A. MacLellan, Ed Krintz and Roddy MacDonald. Jon has won piping contests in EUSPBA sanctioned games throughout the east coast, in grade 2 and 1, as both the Champion of Champions and runner up. Jon won a full scholarship to Belhaven College for his piping and plays with the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders. Jon teaches middle school Math and Geography at Cloudland High School in Eastern Tennessee.
Tom Foote Drumming Instructor Tom has been studying and teaching pipe band drumming for 3 decades. He continues to provide instructional programs for many bands and individuals throughout North America. He has played at the grade 1 level with The Clan MacFarlane, the 78th Frasers Highlanders (1980s), Metro Police (1990s), Peel Police and now performs with the highly innovative Toronto Police Pipe Band (http://www.torontopolicepipeband.com). As a solo player, he rose through the ranks in the PPBSO in the late seventies and early eighties and has been an open player since then. Tom is a snare drum judge both in the PPBSO and EUSPBA. He also has passed his ensemble exam in EUSPBA and is in the process of finishing his certification through trial judging. Tom holds the highest level of certificate in drumming from the combined Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, The Army School of Piping and Drumming and the Institute of Piping, known collectively as the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board (http://www.pdqb.org). Tom maintains a teaching/mentoring website at http://www.tomfoote.com. When he is not drumming, Tom provides Opticianry services to individuals and businesses. http://www.themobileoptician.com
Reagan Jones Rhythm Tenor Drum Instructor Reagan began playing with pipe bands when she was 13 years old playing Snare Drum for the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band.  Following that, she played with the Milton Optimist Pipe Band under the direction of Doug Stronach.  She then became interested in playing the Tenor Drum and played “Flourishing Tenor” with Tyler Fry in the 78th Fraser Highlanders.  While under the tutelage of Craig “Hoss” Colquhoun, she won three World Championships. At the same time, Reagan was pursuing a career in music and studied Jazz Performance as a Drum Set player at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.  Following this endeavor, she completed her Bachelor of Music in Education at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.  She is currently an Elementary Music Teacher in the province of Ontario.  She is both a player and instructor with the Toronto Police Grade I and Durham Police Grade III Pipe Bands.
Doug Stronach Drumming Instructor Doug Stronach is one of North America's top players and educators. He is a World Junior Solo Snare Drum Champion and winner of the Scottish, British and European Pipe Band Championships. He is currently the leading drummer of the Toronto Police Pipe Band, winners of two Grade 1 North American Drum Corps Awards. He is the author of five books on pipe band drumming and a regular contributor to pipesdrums.com (http://pipesdrums.com). Doug has played and taught many clinics throughout the world including Canada, USA, South Africa, Chile, France, Germany, Sicily, and the UK. He is also an accredited judge and Music Board Member of the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario, and frequently judges contests throughout Canada and the USA. He holds the highest level of certificate in drumming from the combined Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, The Army School of Piping and Drumming and the Institute of Piping, known collectively as the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board. In addition to playing and teaching, Doug runs a recording studio where he writes and records music for independent artists as well as his own instrumentals and songs. He has written music for theatre and dance and some of his compositions have been signed to Film Music Libraries in Hollywood and the UK. For more information you can visit his website at http://www.dougstronach.com
Sally Warburton Tenor and Bass Drum Instructor Sally is an original member of the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders and serves as their competition bass drummer. She studied tenor drumming under Matt McConnell for many years at the School of Scottish Arts in North Carolina and is proud to carry on Matt's legacy at the NAAP. Sally was an active competitor in tenor drumming for many years winning numerous open titles. She is currently on the EUSPBA judge's panel and has instructed many regional bands and individuals over the years. Sally is also the Director of Piping for the Grandfather Mountain and the Loch Norman Highland Games.

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