Find a Teacher
Jim McGillivray

Instrument:
Bagpipes
Jim
Location:
Aurora, ON
Association:
PPBSO - Pipers' and Pipe Band Society of Ontario
Branch:
Toronto

Teaching Preferences
Student Level:
Age Group:
Mode:
Format:
Piobaireachd:
Intermediate, Senior, Professional
Youth & Adults
In-Person, Online
Individual, Small Group, Bands
Yes
PDQB Level:
Ajudication Level
PPBSO, 'A' solo piping, pipe bands, piobaireachd



Overview:
Band affiliation:
St. Andrew's College Association Pipe Band
Most influential instructors: Ed Neigh, John MacFadyen, Capt. John A. MacLellan, Andrew Wright
Jim McGillivray began piping at age 11 in 1966 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. He has enjoyed a long and varied piping career since he retired from competing in 1991, having captured both Highland Society of London Gold Medals, the Clasp at Inverness, and the M/S/R at the Glenfiddich Piping Championship.
Jim was Director of the piping and drumming program at St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, Ontario, an independent school for boys, from 1998 until 2019 and still teaches part-time at the school.
He has published two seminal piping tutors, Rhythmic Fingerwork (1998) and Piobaireachd Fingerwork (2013), as well as two best-selling DVDs, Pipes Ready! and Pipes Up!, on maintenance and tuning of the bagpipe.
In 2007, his groundbreaking website, pipetunes.ca, became the first major provider of individual pieces of sheet music to pipers.
He played with the Guelph Pipe Band in the 1970s, the 78th Fraser Highlanders after that, and more recently the Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band.
Jim is a regular on the judging circuit on both sides of the ocean, publishes frequently on pipesdrums.com, and runs McGillivray Piping, an internet-based piping supply business, which is also the world’s leading dealer in vintage bagpipes.
He is currently a member of the grade 2 St. Andrew’s College Association Pipe Band.