I always had a love for music! Dabbling in instruments such as the piano and clarinet throughout my time at both primary and high school. My parents were, and still are, very supportive of anything I wanted to do and it was when I was 12 that I told them I wanted try me hand at something from a little closer to home... the accordion!
No, I didn't link to the wrong page... the accordion. My Gran was able to procure me one from her country dancing friends and I began a little self teaching (from my piano knowledge) while my parent lined up some lessons. It was only a few days later, however, that one of my friends started going to the village club twice a week, where they were starting to form a pipe band. Preferring the idea of being a piper, I decided to tag along.
Only a few months later, after learning the basics from the band and with some extra tuition from a close and really special friend of my Gran's, Alec Whitton, I left me friend behind and took the jump to that already well established Methil and District Pipe Band where I stayed for around 4 years working my way from learning chanter around the table to one of the band's top pipers.
During that time I won 3rd place in my first ever solo piping competition, which happened to be at the scottish junior solo piping championships. I also placed in several other competitions, many of them at highland games where I was playing with the band even getting invited to compete at an invitational competition in Oban.
I eventually left Methil band and was given the opportunity of being a guest piper in the Scots Guards Association Pipes and Drums Scotland, where I still play today.
During my piping career I've had the opportunity to play at for some high profile venues and for some special people, including the Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Kent. The most special by far though was having the great honour of being solo piper at the famous nightly remembrance ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium - Playing the the Flowers of the Forest to remember those who gave their lives in conflict.
