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Bruce has seen a long and distinguished career on the pipe band scene, which began at the age of 7 when he started taking lessons from Donald MacLeod (see p. 150 of "Pioneer Pipers of BC"), the former Pipe Major of The Cameron Highlanders. He entered his first solo competition at the Victoria Highland Games in 1957, and continued competing and taking further instruction from Alex Reid of Vancouver until he turned Pro at about the age of 18. He joined the Optimist Boys Pipe Band (which later became the |
White Spot Pipe Band) in 1958, and entered the Seaforth Cadets in 1960. He travelled with the Master Cadets of Canada to Jamaica in 1963, and from 1964 to 1965 was the Pipe Major of the Seaforth Cadets. 1964 was a banner year for Bruce when he won the Pacific International Junior Solo Championship, and at another contest that same year, won both the Junior Drumming trophy and the Junior Piping trophy. In 1965 Bruce joined the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and became the 5th Pipe Major in its history, taking the P/M's course in 1971 at CFB Rockcliffe from P/M Archie Cairns. In 1967 he was seconded to the Second Battalion Black Watch for the duration of the 1967 Canadian Centennial Tattoo. That same year, he competed with the RCAF band under P/M Cairns and Drum Sgt John Kerr from CFB Rockcliffe at the North American Championships. In 1971 he won the MacCrimmon Memorial Trophy for Professional Piobaireachd. |
Bruce left the Seaforths and helped to form the Delta Police Pipe Band in 1971 and was appointed its first Pipe Major, a position he held for the next 28 years. In 1980 he took part in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo with the Vancouver Police Pipe Band, and led the Delta Police Pipe Band in the 1994 Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and the 1997 Nova Scotia International Tattoo. For many years he was a Director, and also Vice President, of the BC Pipers' Association, and has been a long time Piping and Ensemble judge at many of the highland games. After 34 years, Bruce recently retired from teaching with the Richmond School District. To send an email to Bruce, |
