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Gwyn began drumming at the age of 6, and at the age of 8 joined Nelson's Own Kootenay Kiltie Pipe Band, where he played until 1982, the last 5 years as the Drum Sergeant. After moving to Vancouver in 1983, he joined the Grade 2 Sir John A. MacDonald pipe band, and a year later was recruited to the Grade 1 Triumph Street Pipe Band. During his tenure with Triumph Street, the band competed up and down the West Coast, and made two appearances at the World Championships in Glasgow. Following the breakup of the Grade 1 Triumph Street, and a short personal break from the |
pipe band scene, he was asked to take over as Lead Drummer with the
newly re-formed grade 2 Maple
Ridge Pipe Band, under the direction of P/M Angus MacPherson.
The band enjoyed a great deal of success over the following years,
winning most of the Grade 2 titles on the West Coast, and in its first
trip to Scotland in 2000, took two firsts at Inverkeithing, a second
at Bridge of Allan, and qualified seventh at the World Pipe Band Championships.
With a new family started he again took a short personal break but returned to the Maple Ridge fold in 2004, this time as the Bass Drummer. In 2005, Maple Ridge finished 2nd in Grade 2 at the North American Championships, and in 2006 the Drum Corps finished 4th in the qualifiying round at the Worlds, but the band was again shut out of the final round. Gwyn has studied under such well known drummers as George Pryde (Powell River PB), John Bosworth (USAF PB), John Fisher (Shotts & Dykehead, City of Victoria), Scott Robertson |
(Triumph Street PB), and Tom Brown (Boghall & Bathgate). He has competed in professional solo drumming competitions, has been both a band and solo drumming judge, and was the first drummer to serve as a Director of the BC Pipers' Association. He is also an accomplished kit player, having played in rock and jazz groups over the years. He joins fellow Maple Ridge Alumni Rob Smith and Alistair Fraser in the creation of the new "E" Division Pipe Band, with a focus on a quality sound, a high level of musicality, and a goal to be a performance-based pipe band representing the RCMP and British Columbia. Along with playing side drum in the band, he is also the band's webmaster. He lives in Port Coquitlam, with his wife Brenda, and daughters Megan and Krista. To send an email to Gwyn, |
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