John Sprague has been playing the Great Highland Bagpipe for over 25 years and is currently the pipe major of City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums. Over the years, he has won numerous prizes at the Grade 1 level in both light music and piobaireachd. John has played for Presidents Clinton, Bush (senior), and Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He has opened concerts for Rod Stewart and performed many functions at military bases and Arlington National Cemetery. He has been recorded live at the National Cathedral on the Gothic Records label.
John is an enthusiastic bagpipe instructor for students at all levels of experience. He has developed a teaching style designed specifically to allow students to realize their maximum potential as pipers in the shortest period of time.
Michael ‘Mac’ McLean has been playing pipes for 29 years. For the last 10 he has been a student of John’s. He has played in pipe bands in Scotland and recently returned from a two year stint piping for the Rome highlanders, a pipe band in Italy. He has competed in the World Pipe band competition and is a successful solo competitor.
Peter Walker has been studying the Great Highland Bagpipe under John’s tutelage since spring 2001, is a Corporal Piper in the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums, and is an accomplished solo bagpipe competitor. In addition, Peter is an experienced Scottish fiddler, having twice competed at the U.S. National Scottish fiddling championships, and brings with him a vast breadth of knowledge about Scottish musicology and music history. Peter sings and performs on pipes, fiddle, and numerous Celtic instruments with his band The Devil’s Tailors, as well as a Scottish early music ensemble and numerous regular jam sessions in the DC area.