The National Piping Centre

Roddy MacLeod MBE

Roddy is the Principal of The National Piping Centre, a position he has held since the Centre opened in May 1996. During this time the Centre has grown to become a World Centre of Excellence for the teaching of the Highland Bagpipe through developing and implementing a number of initiatives such as the BA (Scottish Music - Piping), the National Schools Piping Project, the Highland Bagpipe Tutor Book and more recently the establishment of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland.

Roddy has won all of the major solo piping events, many several times over including the Glenfiddich Piping Championship on 3 occasions and remains active as a competing piper. He was Pipe Major of the ScottishPower pipe band from 1995 until 2005 - one of the world’s leading Grade 1 pipe bands. Roddy was awarded the MBE for services to piping in 2003 and the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Award for Music in 2004.

John Mulhearn

25 year old John from Troon, Ayrshire, began his piping career at the age of nine, initially receiving tuition from his father, Brian. After a short while he started regular lessons with retired Strathclyde Police Pipe Sgt., and double Gold medalist, Angus J. MacLellan, receiving extra tuition in the summers from John D. Burgess among others. After a successful junior career in which he won most of the major prizes - including the Carnoustie Championship and MacGregor Memorial - and one year in the senior ranks - being runner-up in the Dunvegan Medal, and third in the Oban and Inverness Silver Medals - he decided to give the pipes a rest for five years. Last year he started competing once more, winning the Duncan Johnstone MSR among other prizes.

Aside from traditional piping John produces experimental electronic music based on pipe tunes. An album of his material is scheduled for release in the near future.

Jimmy Banks

Jimmy was taught piping initially by his grandfather Jimmy Herd who was a noted piper in Fife and a founder of Bowhill Colliery Pipe Band.

Jimmy joined the Scots Guards in 1964, served for 23 years and was Pipe Major of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards from 1980 –1986 and subsequently Pipe Major of the Guards Depot Piping School from 1986-1987. During this time he was appointed Household Piper to HM Queen Elizabeth II an appointment he will hold as long as the sovereign reigns. Jimmy is also at present Piper to the Highland Society of London.

Among his many previous pupils are Phil Collins, Rolf Harris and Richard Parkes of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band.

Jimmy attended the Pipe Majors’ course in 1969 under Captain John MacLellan and passed the course with a grade of outstanding in practical playing. He had further instruction from Pipe Major Alexander MacDonald, who served as Pipe Major of the Scots Guards throughout World War II and was personal piper to King George the V1 and Queen Elizabeth II, and also from Captain Andrew Pitkeithly who was a Director of Army Bagpipe Music.

A round of the games competing in 1970 provided experience for a return to Oban in 1974 where he won the March competition and then in 1979 the March, Strathspey and Reel and the Strathspey and Reel competition at the Argyllshire Gathering, and was invited to play at Blair Atholl that same year.
In 1984 the 1st Battalion Scots Guards were placed first in the World Pipe Band Championship in Grade Two under the direction of Jimmy, he then went on to form the Dan-Air Pipe Band which competed with success in Grade Two.
Jimmy was for some time employed as a piper by the Merchant Bank Robert Fleming. In this capacity Jimmy travelled extensively piping at important functions throughout Europe and the Far East. Following that position Jimmy returned to Scotland where he took up the post Head of Piping Studies for the BA (Scottish Music-Piping) at The National Piping Centre, a position he held until retiring in 2005.