A Piper’s American Odyssey: Book 2- Nineteenth Century History & Contemporary Composers
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by Pipe Major Hugh D. Macpherson With A Piper’s American Odyssey Book Two, Pipe Major Hugh D. Macpherson has assembled a magnificent homage to Canada’s southerly neighbour. Twenty-two new bagpipe compositions by Pipe Major Macpherson, as well as a selection of tunes from some of the finest contemporary US composers, are paired with original stories on the origins of the compositions. Mining the rich vein of American history and reflecting on the present, PM Macpherson’s music and text reverberate long after the book is closed, the chanter at ease. “This book again unites Hugh Macpherson’s musical composition skill with his love of military history — this time American military history. It demonstrates the close bond of respect and friendship that exists between American pipers and Canadian pipers, between American soldiers and Canadian soldiers — the same bond and respect that the vast majority of Canadians feel for their American neighbors.” — John de Chastelain, General (Retired), Canadian Forces “This book is a major read. I have spent, for the most part, the complete winter playing the tunes, memorizing some and reading all the various stories related to the composers and their music.” — Pipe Major Kenneth Eller About the author: Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Pipe Major Hugh Macpherson first began learning to play the bagpipes in Saskatoon at 13 years of age. In 1964, at 17 years of age, he joined The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, where he served as an infantry piper with the First Battalion at Camp Gagetown, New Brunswick. In 1967 he travelled across the continent by train as one of the pipers on the Canadian Centennial Tattoo. Leaving the army, he moved to Ontario and worked as a daily newspaper reporter on the St. Catharines Standard and, after a short time with the Clan McFarlane Pipe Band, led the Welland Police Pipe Band to a Grade Three North American Championship at Burlington, Ontario in 1970. The following year he went back into the army, joining Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment and undergoing Combat Leader and Infantry Section Commander training. He served as an infantry corporal piper in New Brunswick and Cyprus. He was privileged to attend the year-long British Army Pipe Majors’ Course at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland and graduated first in his class in May 1975. Upon graduation he was assigned to form an air force volunteer band at Canadian Forces Base Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, after which he served as pipe major of Canadian Forces Europe at Lahr, West Germany 1977-1982. He returned to Portage la Prairie for two years before attending one year of French language training. This was followed by the CF Senior Leadership Academy. Following that he was pipe major at Canadian Forces Base Greenwood in Nova Scotia until 1988 when he returned as pipe major of Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. In 1990, 2 RCR Pipes & Drums won the Grade III North American Championship at Maxville, Ontario. From April 1992 until his retirement, he served as pipe major of Air Command Pipes & Drums in Ottawa, achieving the rank of Chief Warrant Officer in 1995 as the Canadian Forces Senior Pipe Major. During that period, he also held the appointment as Personal Piper to successive Governors General of Canada. Pipe Major Macpherson retired with over 34 years of service in September 2000 and in 2004 earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Cum Laude) in History from the University of Ottawa. In November 2004 Scott’s Highland Services of London, Ontario published his first book, “Pipers of The Canadian Regular Army 1950 – 2000”. Two years later “A Piper’s American Odyssey” was published by Penumbra Press of Manotick, Ontario. He has been married since 1969 to Susan Macpherson (née Parnall) of St. Catharines, Ontario, and has two married children – Professor Iain Macpherson, PhD at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton and Victoria Macpherson-Hayes, BSc, RN in Toronto.
Quality Paperback, 8.5×11” 88 pg, Publication date: July 2023, ISBN 978-0-88970-232-5: $29.95
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