The Piping Encyclopaedia

DAVIDSON, Peter W
Originally from New Zealand, born in Dunedin, where he was a pupil of George Yardley (his parents emigrated from Aberdeen).
He later lived in Australia and also for a short time in Scotland while he was studying piping under Willie Ross and competing around the Highland Games circuit.
In 1934, just a few months after arriving in Scotland, he competed at the Northern Meeting taking 4th place in the Gold Medal.
At that time he was being taught by Robert Meldrum.
When he returned to Australia from Scotland he settled in Sydney where he taught many of the best local players including Malcolm MacRae and Angus Graham (see both).
In 1922 he won the Strathspey & Reel at the Argyllshire Gathering and became the first overseas piper to win a major prize in Scotland.

DEAR, Trevor
Long time pipe major of the Grade 1 Dingwall RBL pipe band.
Also a respected judge and composer.

DENHOLM, William
Pipe Major of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers in World War 2 and from 1946 until 1953 of the 1st Bn Royal Scots
Also played as a ‘guest’ with the Edinburgh City Police under Donald Shaw Ramsay.
Composed ‘The Royal Scots Polka’.

DEWAR, Alexander
Competed at the Edinburgh competition; 1819 5th when he was described as ‘from the estate of Sir John MacGregor Murray’; 1821 u/p; 1822 4th  p to Sir Neil Menzies; 1823 u/p; 1824 extra prize after Kenneth McRa had refused it, Piper to Sir Neil Menzies; 1826 u/p, P to Sir Neil Menzies; 1829 u/p, p to Sir Neil Menzies

DEWAR, John
From Rannoch
1785 and 1786 competed Prize Pipe, Edinburgh from ‘Sir Robert Menzies estate.’

DEWAR, Malcolm
From Cowal.
Entered the 1829 Edinburgh competition but was not selected for the public leet.

DICKIE, Neil (Born 1957)
From Glasgow where he played with the Knightswood Juveniles and Red Hackle pipe bands before emigrating to Canada where he has played with the Scotia Legion, Simon Fraser University and Alberta Caledonia bands.
Composer of modern styled ‘kitchen piping’ tunes.
Musicology
Neil Dickie’s First Book

DIPPIE, Alan BEM
Pipe Major of the Black Watch and later appointed instructor at Queen Victoria School, Dunblane.

DODD, Allan R
Originally from Dunedin, new Zealand but spent his later life in Brisbane, Australia.
He was first taught by K Chritenson and received later tuition from Archie MacMillan and Joe Patterson.
In 1955 he moved to Scotland to compete and study under Archie MacNeill and also Peter MacLeod junior.
He competed around the Highland Games until 1960.
He earned a considerable reputation for his superb instrument sound and became so fond of telling people about it that he picked up the nickname ‘Drones Dodds’.
He was a great character who competed until very late in life.
When he returned to New Zealand John MacKenzie composed ‘Allan Dodd’s Farewell to Scotland’, a cracking 2/4 March, in his honour.
Major Trophies
Northern Meeting
March 1958
Argyllshire Gathering
Strathspey & Reel 1959

DONALDSON, Brian
Originally from Cardenden in Fife.
Taught by his father Andrew and later a member of the famous Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band with whom he won the World Pipe Band Championship before enlisting as a piper in the Scots Guards, serving as Pipe Major from 1995 to 1998.
After retiring from the army in 2000 he became a partner in the bagpipe making firm of Inveran House, now located in Fife (he had originally served as an apprentice turner under Jimmy Tweedie before joining the army).
He was regarded as one of the leading competitive players at the turn of the 21st century.
Major Solo Prizes
Argyllshire Gathering
Gold Medal  1990
Portree Highland Games
Dunvegan Gold Medal
Clasp twice

DUFF, Charles
From Atholl.
Competed at the Edinburgh Exhibition in 1832 and 1835, but unplaced.

DUFF, Donald
Competed at the Edinburgh Exhibition in 1821, 1824 and 1829 but unplaced.
Described as ‘piper on the estate of Sir Neil Menzies’

DUFF, James Ogston  
In 1891 he enlisted in the 2nd Argylls and was to serve with them during the Boer War and then transferred to the 2nd battalion Royal Scots as pipe major (1903-1909).
After leaving the army he re-enlisted on the outbreak of war, again as pipe major of the 2nd battalion Royal Scots.
He was captured at Le Cateau  and spent the rest of the war in a POW camp in Holland where he led an inmates pipe band.
He was rated one of the best Highland dancers of his day.

DUFF, William
Piper to Perthshire Militia
Competed at the Edinburgh Exhibition in 1832 and 1835 but was unplaced.

DUMBRECK, William Millar Nicholson Duncan (1866-1935)
Born in Linlithgow where he became well known as ''Piper'' Dumbreck.
Enlisted originally as a piper in the Black Watch and later served as Pipe Major of the Royal Scots.
Compositions
Millbank Cottage (written in 1887 for his sister’s house which was built that year in Uphall), Carriber Glen, Pipers Farewell to Gibraltar, West Lothian Volunteers, Major H.F. Elliot's Welcome to Wolflee, Captain Macdonalds Strathspey, 42nd Welcome to Mauritius, Lt. J.B. Pollock's Welcome to Craig, Lt. A.D. Murray's Farewell to the Black Watch.

DUNBAR, Charles DCM
Served as Pipe Major of the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders during the Boer war and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery at Elanslaagte where he was wounded.
Then Pipe Major of the 3rd Battalion from 1903 until 1911.
Also served as pipe major of the Canadian Regiment from 1914-1918.

DUNCAN, Archie 1909-
Born in Campbeltown.
Served as a piper in the Royal Scots Fusiliers from 1929 to 1936.
A prolific composer, many of his tunes were published in other collections as well as the ‘Kintyre Collection’ produced by his son, Iain, also a piper.
His tunes include The Dhorlin, Archie McKinlay

DUNCAN, Iain
A son of Archie (see).
Was pipe sergeant in the Glasgow Skye under the MacLeods.
Produced the Kintyre Collection, which contains many of the tunes of his father.

DUNCAN, Ian George (Born 1950)
Born in 1950 in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire. Taught originally by his father Jock and later influenced by Bob Brown and Bob Nicol.
Also became a schools piping instructor.
Pipe Major of the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band for 26 years during which time his band set many new directions in Medley innovation.
As a young competitor he won placings in the Gold Medal competitions at Oban and Inverness but decided instead to concentrate on the pipe band idiom.
He took Vale of Atholl from the obscurity of Grade 4 to the highest level, being promoted to Grade 1 in 1983, it was already seen as the place to be for young, music-loving pipers who might enjoy quality content more than big prizes.
In 2000 he retired from his band and then just a year later made a comeback as a piper in the ScottishPower.
He also later took over the ill-fated Drambuie Kirkliston Pipe Band which he guided to Grade 1 promotion before their break-up and then was invited to become pipe major of the Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band.
Discography
Both Sides of the Tracks
Salutation
Live in 'Well

DUNN, Alistair
Born in Bangor, Northern Ireland.
Initially a pupil of Freddie Russell and after moving to Glasgow, Roddy MacLeod.
In 1997 he joined the Grade 1 Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band and stood in as pipe major during the absence because of illness of Richard Parkes in 2004.
He also competes successfully on the solo circuit and made his big breakthrough in 2003 when he won the B Grade March at the Argyllshire Gathering.

DUNN, Duncan
Played in the Inveraray Pipe Band at the turn of the 20th century along with his cousins, Donald and Duncan MacPhedran.

DUNN, Malcolm
Played in the Inveraray Pipe Band at the turn of the 20th century.

A-Z OF PIPERS ‘D’ page 1