Andrew Duncan began piping at age 10. His first teacher was his mother, Ann Marie Duncan. He studied with John Cairns for over 18 years. Other major influences on his music include Bill Baird, Steve MacNeil, Greg Pearson, Joel and Angie Kimball, and Archie Cairns.
Andrew won the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario’s Champion Supreme award for Grade II and I light music. Since his return to solo competitions, Andrew has won several professional prizes in North America, including the 2004 Winnipeg Knockout Championship and the 2005 John Ure Anderson Memorial Gold Medal for Piobearachd at Ligonier. He began competing with Grade I bands at age 15, including St. Thomas Police Pipe Band, Toronto Metro Police Pipe Band, and the 78th Fraser Highlanders.
Andrew was a member of the highly successful Windsor Police Pipe Band Organization. As a nine-year member of the Windsor Police Organization (1999-2008) he was: a member of the grades one and two bands, pipe major of the grade three band, and the primary instructor and organizer for the piping school. While competing in grade two for five years the Windsor Police Grade Two band won three North American Championships, three United States Championships, two Canadian Championships, four Champion Supreme designations from the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario, and placed fifth, fourth, and third (on two occasions; one of which was marked by the pipe section being placed first by both piping judges) at the World Pipe Band Championships.
Andrew Duncan was the Pipe Major of the Windsor Police Grade Three band (2005-2006). Under his leadership, the band consistently placed in the prize list and won the U.S. Pipe Band Championship in 2006. Andrew is a past president of the Windsor-Detroit Branch of the Piper’s and Pipe Band Society of Ontario.
Most recently, Andrew joined The Peel Regional Police Grade One Pipe Band. During its first year, after reorganizing, the Peel Regional Police Pipe Band was consistently in the prize list. The band placed first at the Cambridge Highland Games and won one of the two events at the Glengarry Highland Games (the North American Pipe Band Championships). He is looking forward to continued success with the band. Andrew is in charge of the bagpipe program and the Alma College Pipe Band at Alma College. He also is the bagpiping coordinator for The Ohio Scottish Arts School.
