Sandy McPhee Piping Scholarship

Alexander " Sandy " MacPhee starting piping at an early age under the guidance of his father Donald MacPhee, a Scottish immigrant from Isle of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides.  Sandy grew up in Detroit, where he was a member of the Ford Pipe Band, and The famous Detroit Highlanders.  After graduating from High School he served his country in The U.S. Navy during the Korean War.  When he came home from the service he joined the Dearborn Police Department and married his wife of now 51 years Mary Ann Catherine.

During his successful solo career he was the Pipe Sergeant of the St Thomas (Ontario) pipe band and this is where Sandy found his calling.  Half of the band was filled with his students.  Not only was the band successful but Sandy's students excelled within the solo ranks.  After his competitive career he began judging and was one of the few North Americans to sit his judge’s test in Scotland.  Sandy was in great demand throughout North America as a judge.  During this time Sandy and Mary Catherine had 2 daughters and a son.

The MacPhee's moved down to Florida where Sandy led the Scottish Arts program in Dunedin teaching 2 school bands and the local city band.  Latterly Sandy and Cathy moved to Houston to be with their daughters and grandchildren and continued to teach and still does to this day, helping want-to-be pipers become better pipers, competitors, and musicians.  His students throughout his life read as a literal Who's Who of North American Bagpiping - George Killen, Archie Oakes, Ed Neigh, John Noble, Donny Forgan, Scott MacAulay, Bruce Burt, Bill Grant, Ian Forrester, Lars Sloan, as well as the 2 students he is best known for his son in law Mike Cusack and son Donald MacPhee both having won at the World's highest level in solos as well as bands.

Sandy MacPhee is a teacher’s teacher.  Most of his students are active successful teachers today giving back to the piping and Scottish community.  His three children are all teachers.  Diane and Donna lead the St.Thomas' Episcopal School Scottish Dance program for nearly 25 years with unparalleled success at the National and World level.  Donald is a bagpipe instructor for the Argyll and Bute Council at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh Scotland.

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