Piping / Drumming / Band Judge Biographies

Joyce McIntosh was born in Pittsburgh, PA to Scottish immigrant parents and currently resides in Anderson, SC. She began Highland Dancing at an early age and participated in competitive events for 20 years. At age 14, she started learning the bagpipes and subsequently competed in three disciplines: Highland dance, solo piping, and as a pipe band member.

Her first piping instructor was John R. (Bob) Hamilton, a former piper in the USAF Pipe Band under P/M Sandy Jones. McIntosh spent a year practicing on the chanter before playing the pipes, emphasizing mastery of fundamental skills before progressing to more complex aspects of performance.

During her time as a competitive piper, McIntosh won several major Amateur I Piobaireachd contests, including the MacCrimmon Quaich at Stone Mountain four times, and the Nicol-Brown Chalice. In 1990, she joined the EUSPBA Piping Judges’ Panel. She met her husband, James (Jimmy) McIntosh, and together they established The Balmoral Highlanders pipe band in Pittsburgh, where she served as Pipe Major for nearly ten years.

McIntosh regularly judges piping competitions at all levels and provides feedback to participants. She emphasizes evaluating performances based solely on their merits during the competition, rather than considering prior achievements or personal attributes.

In addition to judging, McIntosh is involved in several initiatives related to piobaireachd. She organizes the Jimmy McIntosh, MBE Piobaireachd Challenge, chairs the associated scholarship committee, and collaborates with the Pittsburgh Piping Society to organize the annual Winter Weekend Piobaireachd Workshop, which is open to all.

She plays a set of 1925 silver-and-ivory Lawries, equipped with a Canmore bag with canister and Selbie drone reeds, and uses one of the original Naill chanters with either a Jimmy McIntosh or Donald MacPhee reed set at an accessible strength for musical focus.

Fun fact: Joyce loves to travel and has visited all seven continents and 56 countries.

Ed Krintz has performed on the highland bagpipe for over 60 years. He studied under Pipe Major Sandy Jones, James MacIntosh, and John MacFadyen. He has received many notable piping awards in the United States and is recognized as an instructor specializing in classical pipe music, Piobaireachd. He welcomes questions about piobaireachd.

Ed has led bands to prize lists through his focus on precision and expertise in tuning. He previously served as Pipe Major for 'Denny and Dunipace' (1975-1980), 'Grandfather Mountain Highlanders' (1980-1994), and 'Loch Norman Pipe Band' (1996-2008). He provides guidance on improving pipe band sound and tone.

He travels to competitions and workshops, adjudicating events such as the Nicol-Brown Invitational and the USPF Professional Contest. He instructs at the North American Academy of Piping and Drumming in Valle Crucis, NC, and teaches piping in the Charlotte, NC area.

Ed plays two sets of pipes: a set of Robertsons from the 1960s and a Grainger and Campbell set from around 1971. He uses a sheepskin bag and Balance Tone drone reeds, and currently plays a Naill chanter dating to the late 1970s.

Note of Interest: Ed enjoys gardening and working on restoring old VW vans and buses in his free time!

Bill Caudill is a native of Waxhaw, North Carolina and now lives in Laurinburg, NC. Bill exudes Southern grace and congeniality and is always willing to chat about food, piping, Scottish, and Southern heritage.

He has a substantial history in competitive piping, performing as a Professional grade soloist for over 40 years before retiring from solo competitions. He continues to participate as a band piper. His experience includes playing with the Charlotte Caledonian Pipe Band (1978-1982), the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders (1983-2005, serving as Pipe Major from 1987-1990), and, since 1989, the St. Andrews University Pipe Band, which he founded and helped progress to Grade III. He is currently a member of the MacMillian Grade 2 Pipe Band based in Washington, D.C.

He learned piping from the late Dick Campbell of Charlotte, supplemented by Burt Mitchell and self-study due to few local instructors. Despite these challenges, he became known for producing an excellent pipe sound and enjoys helping others do the same. Bill advanced to the Professional ranks in 1989 after notable amateur success, winning prizes at events like Stone Mountain, Grandfather Mountain, Alexandria, Ligonier, and other competitions in the USA and Ontario. He once won three out of five USPF Piobaireachd qualifiers in Delaware. Bill taught for 29 years at NAAPD camp in Valle Crucis, NC, now teaches at the Florida School of Piping and Drumming in Jacksonville, and continues to instruct locally and regionally.

Alongside his piping career, he holds a Master’s in Folklore from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has lectured on Scottish settlements and cultural heritage in the Southern USA for various academic and civic organizations, including the University of Glasgow, UNC Chapel Hill, and a Harvard-sponsored symposium on Gaelic Culture.

Want to hear a good story or learn a bit about your Scottish heritage? Come talk to Bill Caudill and prepare to be fascinated!

Bill was elected President of the EUSPBA in 2022 and President of the Alliance of Noreth American Pipe Band Associations (ANAPBA) in 2023. He is dedicated to promoting goodwill and education in the piping community, supporting both beginners and advanced musicians through initiatives like the “each one teach one” approach. Bill regularly adjudicates contests nationwide and is committed to growing the piping scene. He founded and chairs the Scotland County Highland Games in Laurinburg, NC, which hosts one of the largest pipe band contests in the Southeast.

Bill plays vintage 1966 Peter Henderson pipes with silver and ivory mounts from his first instructor, along with specialized accessories including a Gannaway bag, Kinnaird drone reeds, a rare David Naill chanter, and MacAllister-Troy reeds.

Note of Interest: Everywhere Bill goes, he seeks, samples, and critiques local food but according to him, nothing can compare to good ol’ Vinegar Based Eastern North Carolina BBQ! Call him Mr. Diners, Pipers, and Dives!! Ask him about his favorite joints!

Originally from Massachusetts, Nick began learning the bagpipe as an eighth grader in Cleveland after years of interest. He describes initial challenges in coordinating marching, maintaining a steady blow, and memorizing tunes simultaneously.

Nick has since achieved superstar recognition as a piper. In 2022, he became the third American to win the Northern Meeting Gold Medal at Inverness, a highly respected international solo piping competition. In September 2024, he won the Northern Meeting Clasp, awarded to repeat winners. His additional awards include the Piobaireachd Society Canadian Gold Medal, the Braemar Gold Medal, Silver Medal at Oban, the North American Gold Medal Ceol Beag Championship, and representing the United States multiple times at the Lorient MacCrimmon in France.

He also plays small pipes, border pipes, and whistles. As a musical historian, Nick values the connection his music provides with historical traditions. He frequently performs complex, long-form bagpipe music for specialized audiences at established piping competitions.

Currently, Nick teaches at Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School in Houston, Texas, and is a member of the Saint Thomas Alumni Grade 1 Pipe Band. He regularly instructs at piping camps and workshops, including the NAAPD in Valle Crucis, North Carolina.

Nick is active in the piping community throughout North America, serving on the EUSPBA Judge’s panel and as their Music Board Chairman. He travels widely to adjudicate piping contests and promote the art.

Nick’s solo setup includes century-old Lawrie drones, a Lee & Sons sheepskin bag, Balance Tone High Resonance drone reeds, and typically either an RJM or Henderson chanter with MacPhee or Chesney reeds.

Note of Interest: Besides being the best-dressed piper out there, Nick was a new father in 2022. He also loves tacos!

Dan Lyden, from Timonium Maryland, is the EUSPBA Mid-Atlantic Branch Chair, and the Chief Pipe Band Steward of the Colonial Highland Gathering at Fair Hill. He was originally taught by Ed Kitlowski and currently receives tuition from Ed Krintz.

In 2002 he joined the City of Washington Pipe Band and served as Pipe Major from 2008 to 2015. Dan is a many-time EUSPBA season champion, and placed 3rd in the Northern Meeting Silver Medal in 2023.

Bobby commenced his studies of the Great Highland Bagpipes at the age of eight, initially receiving instruction from a local pipe band in Bridge, NJ for two years. He subsequently advanced his training under Pipe Major George M. Bell of Parlin, NJ over an eight-year period. Beginning at age eleven, Bobby participated in amateur solo piping competitions at numerous Highland Games throughout the eastern United States. Prior to his promotion to the professional level at eighteen, he secured first place in two premier amateur solo piping events: the George Sheriff Memorial Invitational in Toronto, Canada, and the Nicol-Brown Invitational in Albany, NY.

At the professional level, Bobby achieved significant success, including winning the Strathspey & Reel competition at the North American Championships during the Glengarry Highland Games in August 2015. In 2022, he received the Piobaireachd Society (Canada) Gold Medal - one of North America's most prestigious piobaireachd awards - also at the Glengarry Highland Games.

Bobby travels annually to Scotland to compete at the Argyllshire Gathering in Oban and the Northern Meeting in Inverness, recognized as the world's leading exclusive solo piping competitions. He is currently competing at the Silver Medal level, placing fifth in the Northern Meeting Silver Medal in 2022 and fourth in 2023.

In addition to his solo achievements, Bobby has performed with three distinguished pipe bands. He was a member of the Grade 1 City of Washington Pipe Band from 2007 to 2010, performing at the 2010 World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, and at the White House for the Presidential St. Patrick's Day Gala in March 2010. Bobby also played with the Stuart Highlanders Pipe Band for two years, including a performance at Fenway Park alongside the Massachusetts State Police Pipe Band to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2014.

In her own words...

I began playing pipes at 14 with Harvey Ritch in Statesville, NC, inspired by my high school's British Grenadiers theme. Though I also played piano and clarinet, I immediately loved the pipes. My piping journey started with the Charlotte Scottish Pipe Band, which later became the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders, and continued with bands such as the City of Washington, Manchester, Oran Mor, and for many years, the Ulster Scottish Pipe Band. I studied under Sandy Jones, Jim McIntosh, and Donald Lindsay.

With the EUSPBA, I served as executive secretary, recording secretary, president, and music board chair, helping develop premier contests and introducing ensemble judging to the EUSPBA, which was sorely lacking at the time. For thirty years.

I have been judging piping for thirty years. As a player in the South, I did not have access to weekly lessons while learning, so score sheets provided important feedback. Judges such as Hamilton Workman, Sandy Jones, Roddy MacDonald, Chuck Murdoch, and others gave sheets that I studied closely to improve. When judging, my goal is to offer advice that supports developing players.

After living in New York and Pennsylvania, I returned to North Carolina and recently retired, now focusing on practice and exercise. I play Naill pipes for solos, own a vintage set of Lawries, prefer a sheepskin bag and cane drone reeds, and regularly judge at Stone Mountain.

John Recknagel was Pipe-Major of the Atlanta Pipe Band from 1993 to 1997, Pipe-Sergeant from 1998 to 2003, and Pipe-Major again 2004 to 2011.

A native of Toledo, Ohio, he was a member of the Grade 1 Clan MacFarlane Pipe Band for many years in the 1970s and '80s.

John is known for his expertise in playing dance music for Highland Dance and is married to one of the top Highland Dance judges in the USA. He currently resides in the Atlanta area.

Bobby Minnear started playing pipes at the age of 12, learning from Albert McMullin, Jim McIntosh, and Bruce Gandy. He succeeded as a professional soloist and followed in the Balmoral style of piobaireachd. He has played with multiple Grade 1 and 2 bands throughout his career. He served as Pipe Major of the Atlanta Pipe Band for several years, during which he helped the band advance from Grade 3 to Grade 2.

In 1973, at age 13, Jon Quigg began drumming with the Annapolis [Juvenile] Pipe Band in Annapolis, Maryland. He identifies American drummer John Bosworth and Scottish pipe band drummer Alex Duthart as his main influences. By 1976, he advanced to professional solo competitions and joined the Grade 2 Denny and Dunipace Pipe Band of Washington, DC, later known as the City of Washington Pipe Band. Over time, he also performed with groups in Monterey, Honolulu, Tokyo, and Vancouver.

In 1989, Quigg became Drum Sergeant of the City of Washington Pipe Band ("CoW") and contributed to the band's North American contest successes, including their victory at the 1999 World Pipe Band Championships. He stepped down from this role in 2010 but returned to competitive band activities in 2017, joining the MacMillian organization based in Rockville, Maryland - a group composed of several former regional bands.

Alongside competition, he has participated in recordings and led drumming clinics internationally. Recent highlights include CoW's consecutive wins in the drum salute contest at Winter Storm in Kansas City and an appearance at the White House during the Obama administration.

Quigg has taught at summer programs for the Piping Centre (Glasgow), Balmoral Summer Schools (Pittsburgh), and the North American Academy of Piping & Drumming (Valle Crucis, NC). He has organized master classes and clinics across North America and has served on the Eastern US Pipe Band Association Judge's Panel and its Music Board since 1990. He also collaborated with Cooperman Drum Company to develop a pipe band drumstick.

His collection includes eight vintage snare drums, such as a 1970s Rose-Morris "Clansman" snare drum and a 1980s Legato snare drum. For performance, he uses a custom-made Pearl pipe band snare and a prototype Cameron-Stronach mini-drum. He typically plays Glen Neal sticks or his own "Caledonian - JPQuigg 60's" model produced by Cooperman.

Jon Quigg and his wife, Beth, live north of Baltimore with their dog Dobby in a 1971 townhouse.

Note: Jon is interested in unusual subjects, remarkably articulate, and has a distinct, "salty" sense of humor.

Tom Kee began playing the snare drum in 1960. His early instructors included John Murray, Kit Reynolds, and Alex Duthart. He competed as an amateur during the 1960s and 1970s, winning North American drum corps titles in Grade 2 in 1968 and 1969, as well as consecutive Open Solo drumming titles in EUSPBA in the early 1970s.

In the 1970s, Kee taught a drum corps that earned several Grade 2 and 3 drumming championships internationally, including in Canada and Scotland. In 1974, his drum corps became the first American group to win the World Drumming Championship for Grade 3 in Scotland.

In 1980, Kee joined the Shotts and Dykehead pipe band in Scotland and later became a member of the 78th Highlanders in Canada in 2007. He has served as a drumming judge for over five decades at contests across North America and has taught at institutions such as the Balmoral School and the School of Scottish Arts.

Kee's advice to competitors is: "If you're going to compete, practice, practice, and practice on your instrument as much as possible."

Throughout his career, he used Pearl drums, Eric Ward drumsticks, and Duraline drumheads.

Additionally, Kee owns four dogs - a Pitbull and three Rottweilers - all raised from puppies. He enjoys cooking and recently retired as a chef from his restaurant in The Plains, VA. He also has an interest in magic.

Sally became interested in her Scottish heritage at the age of seven when her grandfather took her to the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. She participated in highland dancing and attended the School of Scottish Arts for several years, competing at various events.

At fourteen, she joined the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders Pipe Band, and as of last year's 50th anniversary, she is the only remaining original member. Her initial role was as a tenor drummer, with accomplishments as a soloist. She later transitioned to bass drummer as the band moved to Grade III, serving in that position for 34 years in competitions.

In 1991, Sally became an EUSPBA-qualified tenor/bass adjudicator. She worked as a tenor/bass instructor at the North American Academy of Piping and Drumming and held the position of Director of Piping at Drumming for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games for several years.

Currently, Sally continues to judge at various events and is Vice President of the Board of Trustees for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. She also serves on the board of the Valle Crucis Conference Center, which hosts the NAAPD each summer.

Sally regularly attends the SMHG and has been present almost every year since she was eleven. She plans to attend again this October.