john macdonald

About me

Tradition

I come from four generations of pipers. Furthest to the right in the picture above are my Great Grandfather and Grand Father, who was my first tutor.

For me, playing the pipes forms a direct connection with family and good times past. It’s who I am and where I came from.

History

As a teenager I played with Craigmount High School Pipe Band. At that time we were very successful and were World Champions and Champion of Champions at Juvenile level.

Since then I have largely pursued my own path in exploring the music. A collection of books old and new plus learning by ear from recordings has allowed me to compile a diverse repertoire. Along with composing many of my own tunes.

More Recently

In the last few years I’ve enjoyed performing at sessions with other musicians. This of course, means playing Smallpipes. Musical retreats such as Ceolas Uist and the School of Scots Music and Dance in Barga have been great learning experinces and the influence of playing along with other instruments continues to be fun and enlightening.

Performing professionally has become a massive part of my life. Amazing opportunities have come about from playing at a ceilidh in Nigeria to Musik Parade in Germany, plus events in Spain, Italy and Turkey. Now the aim is to bring the music to you via online platforms.