Instructor           

James began piping in a youth pipe band in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and the formative experiences he enjoyed there have carried him to become one of Canada’s most respected active pipers. He played with the Edmonton Caledonia (now Alberta Caledonia) Pipe Band before moving to BC, where he played one year with the City of Victoria Pipe Band before joining the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. With SFU he won the World Pipe Band Championship in 1996 and 1999, performed at Carnegie Hall and participated in two live recordings. In 2000 he moved to Toronto, and joined the Toronto Police Pipe Band. In 2004 he became the Pipe Major and led the band to North American Championship wins in 2004 and 2006. He played with the 78th Fraser Highlanders from 2007 to 2009 before moving back to BC. He is currently a member of SFU.

James has enjoyed a successful career as a solo competitor, having won major prizes across Canada, the US, Scotland and France. He is a consistent prize winner in the Gold Medal contests at Oban and Inverness.

He is an active composer, judge, performer and teacher, having taught at schools in BC, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia. One of his proudest achievements in his piping career was working with the Robert Malcolm Memorial (Juvenile) Pipe Band from 1998 to 1999, culminating in the kids winning both the Juvenile World Pipe Band and Cowal Championships.

James holds an MA in Classical Studies from the University of British Columbia. He has worked in disparate areas, ranging from lecturing at the University of Toronto, to developing and producing business conferences, to recently working for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

James is married to Kylie, a highly accomplished piper and also member of SFU. Apart from their love of music and teaching, together they enjoy outdoor activities, camping, cooking, and exploring new places.

He is keen to bring his passion for Celtic music and performance to the College of Piping, and to contribute to the environment that aims to provide visitors and students with an unforgettable experience - one which ignites the same enthusiasm that has enabled James to enjoy a life in music.

Kylie has been piping since the age of 7, and has been a member of Grade One bands since her mid teens. She played with the Vancouver Ladies, Triumph Street and Abbotsford Police pipe bands in BC before moving to Ontario in 2000. There she spent 6 seasons with the Toronto Police Pipe Band and three with the 78th Fraser Highlanders. In this time she was a member of the North American Championship winning band on 5 occasions. Kylie is currently a member of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. She is an accomplished solo competitor, having placed as high as second in the Canadian Gold Medal for piobaireachd. She is highly regarded as an instructor, and her patient, supportive and detail-oriented teaching style is ideal for setting the foundation of excellence in early-stage pipers.