Alex Gandy | Iain MacDonald | Ryan MacDonald

Roland Reid |  James P. Troy

Alex Gandy - piping

Alex began piping at age ten and had the good fortune of family for very high-level instruction; his father Bruce Gandy, his mother Beverley Gandy (played with the 78th Fraser Highlanders) and his grandfather, Ronnie Rollo also a member of the 78th Frasers, as well as other top Grade 1 bands in Ontario. As a member of Field Marshal Montgomery he helped the band take 6 major prizes...including a World Championship in 2007 and a 2nd place at the Worlds in 2008. In his own words " I owe a lot to Pipe-Major Richard Parkes and Pipe-Sergeant Alastair Dunn. [My time with them] was an incredibly valuable learning experience."

His solo prize list includes: 1st in Kansas City Gold Medal 2012, US Piping Foundation Overall with 1st in Piob & MSR, Overall winner at the North American Championships, Canadian Gold Medal at Maxville in 2009, Champion Supreme in Professional light music in PPBSO, 1st in Kansas City Gold Medal Light Music in 2011, 1st in Kansas City Silver Medal and Gold Medal light music in 2009, 1st in Open Jigs at Oban, 1st in Senior March at Inveraray, winner of Piobaireachd and Overall at Duncan Johnstone Memorial in 2007.

Most recently, Alex became Pipe-Major of the Grade 1 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) Pipe Band, based in his hometown, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Ryan MacDonald  - piping/bellows pipes

Hailing from North Shore, Cape Breton Island, Ryan was fortunate to grow up in an area richly steeped in the Gaelic language and culture.

Ryan began piping at the age of 12 while attending the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts in St. Ann's, Nova Scotia. She joined the Gaelic College Pipe Band and was a member when they won the Grade 3 North American and World Pipe Band Championships. During this time, under the tutelage of John Walsh, Ryan competed extensively throughout Canada, the United States and Scotland. She moved to Hamilton, Ontario in 1996 to play with the Peel Regional Police Pipe Band under the leadership of Michael Grey, and remained a member of the band until 2000.

Ryan was an instructor at the Gaelic College for 11 years, teaching both highland bagpipes and smallpipes. In 2005, she performed at the Celtic Colours International Festival, playing smallpipes on Hamish Moore's (soon to be released) live recording by Greentrax Records, 'The Piper and The Maker 2'.

Ryan competed in the 2008 season with the Peel Regional Police Pipe Band and most recently she’s taught at the Highland Musical Arts School in Portland, OR and Hamish Moore’s Bellowspipe School in Richmond, Vermont. In the fall of 2008 she returned home to perform for her third time at the Celtic Colours International Festival.

Currently residing in Victoria, Ryan operates her own photography business.

Roland has over 40 years of pipe band experience and has played in numerous bands in the prairies as well as competed at the grade one level with SFU and the 78th Fraser Highlanders.  A highlight of his career was winning the Worlds Pipe Band Championship in 1995 while playing in SFU. Roland has extensive teaching experience having taught for many years in the public school system and at various piping and drumming schools and seminars. He is currently playing with the City of Regina Pipe Band.

James P. Troy  - piping 

James brings an extensive background as a soloist and band musician. As a professional solo player of both the pipes and snare drum, he is equally at home with both pipes and drums. James was most recently a member of the Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band drum corps, who garnered much attention in the 2008 season, and he also was the winner of all three pro piping events at the BC Pipers Annual Gathering, and the winner of several prizes at the Scottish Society of London competition in London, England.

James began both piping and drumming at age six, studying piping with his father, James W. Troy, and drumming with his uncle, Colin Magee. At age 11 he joined his first band, the renowned City of Victoria Pipe Band. His band playing background also includes the Peel Regional Police and 78th Fraser Highlanders pipe bands of Toronto.

In addition to his extensive band experience, James has won numerous prizes throughout Canada and the United States as a soloist. He has judged piping and drumming events on numerous occasions, and is a member of the British Columbia Pipers' Association adjudicators' panel.

In recent years James has become well known for the quality of his seminars for both pipers and drummers. He is a valued resource for pipe band players, presenting seminars on ensemble concepts and teaching at major summer programs in the United States and Canada. In addition, he has a number of private students in Victoria.

In 1998 James and his father, James W. Troy, acquired the reed business of the world-famous McAllister family of Shotts, Scotland. Today they continue to manufacture the McAllister pipe chanter reed to the McAllisters' exact specifications.

Outside the piping/pipe band genre, James has toured across Canada with major record labels in the past couple of years.