Instructor Profile: Andrew Duncan
Piping is nothing new to Andrew Duncan ’96. He has been doing it for nearly three-quarters of his life. Now at Alma, he is part of the faculty, instructing and sharing the knowledge he has gained over the years with Alma College pipers since 2007.
Duncan began piping at age 9, learning first from his mother, Ann Marie Duncan. Later, he studied with Alma alumni Joel and Angie Kimball, and for more than 18 years, he has taken private lessons from John Cairns.
Andrew Duncan ’96
During his lessons with the Kimballs, Duncan became familiar with Alma College. Alma’s support for the highland arts is what drew him to Alma. After earning his bachelor’s degree in education, he received his master’s degree in science education from Wayne State University in 2008.
Over the years, he has had many accomplishments in piping, including traveling to Scotland to compete at the World Championships several times and placing first in piping with the Windsor Police Grade Two Pipe Band in 2006. He was pipe major for the Windsor Police Grade Three Pipe Band, placing first at the United States Championships in 2006.
Other bands he has piped with include the Toronto Police Grade One Pipe Band and Peel Regional Police Grade One Pipe Band. Peel placed first in the medley event at the North American Championship in 2009.
As a solo competitor, Duncan won the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario’s Champion Supreme award for grades one and two light music. He also has won several professional prizes throughout North America, including the 2005 John Ure Anderson Memorial Gold Medal for Piobaireachd at Ligonier.
Duncan also takes greatest pride in the achievements of his students. He currently has more than 20 private students who are consistently placing in solo contests across the United States and Canada.
“Seeing students growing musically, getting better and getting enjoyment out of what they’re doing, that’s what piping is all about,” he says.
Duncan runs his own highland supply business, Duncan’s Highland Supply, with his wife, Jodie. He also instructs at the Ohio Scottish Arts School, where he serves as bagpipe coordinator. For questions about piping at Alma, please contact Andrew at info@duncanshighlandsupply.com.
