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SANDY GORDON is from Fredericton NB and has been involved in piping for over 30 years. He studied with instructors Seumas MacNeill, Duncan Johnstone and William Livingston. Until 1995, he was P/M of the Fredericton Society of St. Andrew Pipe Band (Grade II) and remains active in their organization.

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ASHLEY FOSTER is an accomplished step-dancer from Millville, Cape Breton. She has been dancing since 3 years of age and has been providing private step-dancing lessons for the past 7 years. She has toured with Jennifer Roland, performing step-dance routines throughout the Maritimes and United States. Ashley will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 2008, from Cape Breton University.

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GLENN GRAHAM’S roots (four generations have produced 44 musicians including fiddlers, piano players, pipers, Gaelic singers, composers and dancers) go deep in the traditional Gaelic music of Cape Breton. His latest release “Stepoutside” features his driving fiddle style, singing and songwriting.

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IAN JUURLINK from Anigonish, has numerous solo piping awards to his credit including 7 Atlantic Canadian Champion Supreme. He was a member of the Antigonish Highland Society Pipe Band for 9 years four of which he was Pipe Sergeant. He instructed at the Antigonish Highland Society School of Piping for four years. He is currently Pipe Sergeant of the Gaelic College Pipe Band and teaches privately. Ian is an avid curler and member of the team that won the Nova Scotia Junior Provincial Championship in 2006, 2007.

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TREVOR KELLOCK, from Halifax, NS has been playing the bagpipes since the age of 14. In the amateur grades, he consistently made the prize lists both in Atlantic Canada and at the Glengarry highland games. Trevor was a member of the Dartmouth and District pipe band, instructor with the Dartmouth and District school and junior bands and a private instructor.

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JASON KEMPT, a literacy educator by day and a busy entertainer by night, has shared the stage with some of Canada’s best: Lawrence Gowan, The Barra MacNeils, Doris Mason, The Fables, Lennie Gallant and Bruce Guthro. He has toured extensively in Canada and USA as bandleader of Third of a Dozen, with ECMA nominee fiddler Jennifer Roland and appears on keyboard and accordion on her latest CD. Currently, Jason is co-writing and will perform in the third annual installment of Glace Bay Savoy Theatre’s Summer music and comedy spectacular – Island Mania.

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GRAHAM KIRKWOOD now resides in Oakville ON with his wife Patricia and their son James. The son of the late James Kirkwood, a talented drummer formerly from Newmains, Scotland, Graham has played competitively since the age of 18 and is lead-tip of the Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band. He has taught and judged in both the US and Canada and presently instructs privately from his home.

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CARLEIGH LEIGHTON WHITE has been dancing since the age of 4. Although also trained in ballet, jazz and modern dance, Carleigh's true passion has always been for Highland Dancing. Her successful competitive career boasts numerous competitions throughout Canada, the United States and Scotland. Her titles include Ontario, Canadian and Juvenile World Champion, among many others. Now retired from competitive dancing, Carleigh is enjoying sitting on the other side of the table as an adjudicator for Highland Dancing competitions. 

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KELLEY MACARTHUR is the director of her own dance studio in Sydney, Nova Scotia - the MacArthur School of Dance - teaching Scottish Highland, Cape Breton Step, & Celtic Step Dance to over 100 students. She also directs a traveling performance group - the CapeLand Dance Company. Kelly danced competitively for 22 years throughout Canada, the United States and Europe - repeatedly winning the Nova Scotia & Atlantic Canadian Championship Titles. She has been teaching workshops and conferences all over the Maritimes & the U.S. for over 20 years, including 18 years here at the Gaelic College. Kelly also works for the Cape Breton School Board with Learning Through The Arts - which is a curriculum based International Educational Program. Kelly has her BA in Psychology from UCCB, is a Member of the SDTA, SOBHD, and Vice President of Scotdance Nova Scotia. This past year, Kelly was presented with a Women Of Excellence Award for N.S. women in business. Website

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ANGELA MACDONALD, of Glace Bay, a member of S.O.B.H.D. and S.D.T.A., competes and performs regularly throughout the Maritime Provinces. Under the instruction of Kelly MacArthur, Angela is an original member of The CapeLand Celtic Dance Company, and selected as Nova Scotia’s Dance Representative for The National Artists Program at the 2003 Canada Winter Games. Currently pursuing a B.A./B.Ed. major in French at Université Sainte-Anne in Church Point, Angela is regularly teaching Highland and Step dance workshops.

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HELEN MACDONALD started Step dancing at age 5 along side her sister Dawn. A couple of years later the sisters found themselves entertaining crowds at concerts all over Cape Breton with their "synchronized" routine. Helen has been teaching both private and group lessons for the last 15 years which includes workshops for the Fèis an Eilein, Cape Breton Fiddlers' Association, the Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts, the Cóilín Sheáin Dharach festival and most recently in Kingussie, Scotland. In 2000 and 2001, Helen was a member of Howie MacDonald's Celtic Brew; a Celtic Show with a mixture of music, step dancing, songs and comedy that toured the Maritime Provinces. You can often hear Helen playing a tune or two on the fiddle at various house parties, concerts and dances throughout the Island.

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JEFF MACDONALD, a native of Kingsville, Inverness Co, Jeff is a strong promoter of Gaelic culture throughout Cape Breton. A graduate of St. F. X. University and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye, Jeff is completing his Masters in Folklore at Memorial University in Newfoundland. He has worked with various groups, teaching and promoting Gaelic language and culture including Fèis An Eilein in Christmas Island, the Gaelic College and the Nova Scotia Highland Village in Iona.

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MARIE MACDONALD has been weaving since 1970 and instructing for the past several years. She has studied the art of Cape Breton Heritage Weaving under the direction of well-known teacher, Eveline MacLeod, traveled abroad for training in the “Art of Weaving” by several renowned weavers and earned international recognition for her weaving designs. Marie has taught at the College for several years and designed the official Gaelic College Tartan. 

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CAROL ANN MACDOUGALL, from Sydney NS, is a music teacher with the Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board. She is an experienced piano player, has played with numerous musicians and has taught privately for the past 25 years. She volunteers her time at many guest homes providing musical entertainment and is Director of Music Ministry, St. Mary’s Parish East Bay.

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KOLTEN MACDONELL, from Glencoe, Cape Breton is a pre-med student at St Francis Xavier University and a former Gaelic College student. He has been teaching fiddle, piano and step dance for the past four years and has been influenced in piano by Stephanie Wills, in fiddle by Brenda Stubbert and Jerry Holland and in Step by Bonnie Jean (MacDonald) Cutcliffe.

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JAMES MACHATTIE, from Toronto, has been piping since age 12 and his solo accomplishments include Canadian Gold Medal for Piobaireachd, the Livingstone Invitational MSR and the Canadian Police Memorial MSR to name a few. He performed with the Simon Fraser Pipe Band for two world championships and is now Pipe Major of the Toronto Police Pipe Band.

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KYLIE MACHATTIE is married to James and been a member of Grade One Pipe Bands since her mid teens. A piper to watch, who has just entered the professional solo competition, Kylie's teaching experience of many years will benefit the students attending our program.

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MAIRI MACINNES from South Uist in the outer Hebrides spoke Gaelic at home and only learned English after starting school. Her beautiful voice earned her at a very young age the prestigious Gold Medal at the National Gaelic Mod in Skye in 1982. Since then Mairi has become a well-established singer and teacher and is often performs on TV and radio. She has performed in Canada - mostly recently at the Celtic Colours International Festival. Website 

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RANKIN MACINNIS is a traditional piper and piano player from Mabou, Cape Breton. The 20-year old engineering student at St. Francis University started playing pipes under the instruction of Mark Stewart. His piping has taken him many places, including Ceolas in South Uist, and the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, with the Gaelic College Pipe Band, in 2006.  Rankin has piped for the rock n roll band, The White Stripes , when they came to Glace Bay – 2007; the opening of Celtic Colours in 2007 with the Cheiftans; the opening of Celtic Colours 2008 with Carlos Nunez, and had his own part in the 2008 Celtic Colours Piper's Ceilidh.

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SANDY MACINTYRE, formerly from Inverness, now living in Ontario, specializes in the traditional style of Cape Breton fiddling. He has performed internationally, teaches and conducts workshops in Canada, the US and Scotland. Sandy has several recordings to his credit including his most recent - “Steeped in Tradition”.

Website

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ANGUS MACLEOD, from Goose Cove, Cape Breton learned his Gaelic from local elders, classes and workshops and through course work at UCCB. For the past several years he has been teaching language and song locally and at Feisean throughout Cape Breton. In addition to his ability in the language he brings to the classroom a keen understanding of the challenges faced by those learning Gaelic today.

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HECTOR MACNEIL lives in Sydney, Cape Breton and is Gaelic Director at the Gaelic College. He has an MA in Celtic Studies from St. Francis Xavier University. Hector has been very involved in Gaelic promotion over the years, both in the classroom and in the community. He served as the founding President of Comhairle Na Gàidhlig (The Gaelic Council of Novs Scotia), founding Chairperson of Comunn Fèis An Eilein and Board Member for the Celtic Colours International Festival. He has been teaching Gaelic language and song at the Gaelic College and at Cape Breton University since 1989.

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RYAN J MACNEIL, originally from Big Pond, now residing in Port Hood, Cape Breton, is an accomplished musician who has mastered his instruments (highland bagpipe, border pipes and whistles) and brings a unique personal flavour to the music he plays.  In the past several years Ryan has become increasingly renowned as a talented composer.  His tunes have  been performed and recorded by any musicians, both locally and abroad.  To top it all off, Ryan manufactures a line of his own whistles! (www.macneilwoodwinds.com)

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JEAN MACNEIL lives in Sydney Mines, Cape Breton where she has operated a step dance school for many years. She has been teaching at the Gaelic College for the past eight years. Her family background is steeped in Cape Breton music and dance. She is the mother of the members of “The Barra MacNeils” and, also has two sons in the group “Slainte Mhath”.

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CATHY ANN MACPHEE, born and raised on the Island of Barra, moved to Ottawa in 1991 with her husband (Angus MacDonald from Lochboisdale, South Uist) and two children. Since age 17 she has traveled the world performing. Cathy has recorded four albums, has many television and radio performances and, over the past 25 years, has been heavily involved in festival work teaching at Fèisean from the Isle of Barra to Seattle. In addition, she spent two years teaching Gaelic song in the schools of South Uist.

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ELLEN MACPHEE, a native of Summerside, PE, began her piping journey with the Caledonia Pipe Band and attended many summer sessions at the Gaelic College. Ellen’s introduction to the small pipes was in the summer of 1993 by Hamish Moore of Scotland. In the last few years, Ellen has focused her time on the small pipes and has instructed small pipes at the Gaelic College in Cape Breton and Vermont and the Hamish Moore’s piping school in Richmond VT.

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JOHN MACPHEE began piping at 8 years of age at the College of Piping in PEI and received many national and international prizes, including YTV Achievement Award for Best Instrumentalist in 1998. John has been actively involved in piping instruction, including the Gaelic College, along with joining the progressive Celtic group Slainte Mhath.

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BETTY MATHESON, a schoolteacher from Dominion, Cape Breton, has been involved in step dancing for many years. A much sought after instructor, she has taught at the University College of Cape Breton and at numerous workshops throughout eastern Canada and the USA including the Gaelic College.

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BRANDI MCCARTHY from Port Hawkesbury, a student at St Francis Xavier University and a former Gaelic College student, has been involved in music and dance since a very young age. A member of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association she has instructed both youth and adult students in fiddle and step dance.. Brandi has made several TV appearances and was part of the 2005 East Coast Music Awards Strathspey Place showcase. We welcome Brandi to our instructor roster.

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SCOTT MORRISON resides in Columbia, MD with his wife and four children where he owns and operates his own percussion school called Rimshots, Inc. In 1994 he received his Bachelors degree in Music from Frostburg State University, with a double concentration in Music Education and Percussion performance. Scott’s performing and workshop instructing experience is extensive and he also enjoys being a Scots Gaelic Speaker.

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HAMISH MOORE, from Dunkeld, Scotland, not only has played the Scottish Small Pipes since 1980 but is one of the leading pipe makers. He is musical director of the Ceolas summer school in South Uist; founder of many piping schools in Scotland and USA. Hamish taught Scottish Small Pipes here at the College from 1992-96. He is currently involved in the production of a new CD recorded here at the Gaelic College during the 2005 Celtic Colours International Festival.

Website

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GRAHAM MULHOLLAND, of Dunkeld, Scotland,  began playing the Highland Pipes at the age of seven and has won many first-place awards in major piping competition in Scotland and the USA. He studied with several prominent instructors including Murray Henderson and at age 17 joined the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band which won the Scottish, British and World Championships.

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CATRIONA PARSONS, a native of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, lives in Antigonish and is a professor of Celtic Studies at St. Francis Xavier University. She has an MA in linguistics from the University of Edinburgh and has taught at the Gaelic College for many years. Through the College, she has produced "Ghàidhlig Troimh Chomhradh" - a Gaelic text and tapes for students learning the language.

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EDWARD (ED) RODGERS hails from Reserve Mines, Cape Breton. Ed began playing at age 10 and studied under Eileen Redmond, Halifax Symphony Orchestra. He taught classes at UCCB during the ‘80’s and currently teaches more than 30 students in Guysborough County and is a member of the Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association.

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JENNIFER ROLAND hails from Point Aconi, Cape Breton and long before she studied with Kyle MacNeil of the Barra MacNeils, Jennifer was picking out songs on the piano and stepdancing. With her growing popularity from tours in Europe and the United States, and the success of her debut album, “Dedication” and her second album “Wings”, she has become a rising star in Cape Breton music.

Website

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DARA SMITH from Antigonish, has been playing the fiddle for the last fifteen years. She has classical training and also took lessons from Kendra MacGillivray for five years.  For the last eight years she has been playing at festivals, pubs and concerts throughout the Maritimes and is also a sought out dance player.  She has taught fiddle to students both privately and in groups in NS, PEI, NB and in the USA with her primary focus teaching at St Ann's Gaelic College for the last six years.  She is a member of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association and has performed at the Celtic Coiours International Festival and the East Coast Music Awards.

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MICHELLE STEWART moved to Scotland with her husband Mark in December 2001. She has instructed pipeband snare drumming since 1981 and the bodhran since 1992. She is in demand for various types of drumming workshops throughout the Maritimes, the rest of Canada and the USA.

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ROBYN WHITTY, former Gaelic College student and piping instructor, has been playing the bagpipes for over 30 years and the bodhran for over 12 years. She received bodhran instruction from Michelle Stewart, is currently involved with the Celtic folk scene in Halifax playing pipes, whistles and bodhran and a member of the Celtic group “Lochaber”.

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JENNIFER WORTHEN Formerly from Stellarton, Nova Scotia, Jennifer started highland dancing at the age of 8. Under the instruction of Janice Macquarrie, Jennifer has won the Nova Scotia Championship several times and represented her province at the ScotDance Canada Championship Series for 12 consecutive years. She also competed in the Scottish Championships at the Cowal Highland Games winning silver. With 17 years experience teaching dancing, Jennifer has taught hundreds of children over the years. Now retired from her own dance studio, Jennifer focuses on teaching workshops and judging. Jennifer is a Fellow member of the Scottish Dance Teachers Alliance from Scotland and has been on the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing Judges panel since 1996. She is President of the Halifax Highland Dancing Association. 

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HEATHER YULE, daughter of harp maker John Yule, from East Lothian, Scotland, studied with Savourna Stevenson, Isobel Mieras, Sanchia Pielou and gained a B. Music in 1994 in pedal harp performance under the tuition of American harpist Gail Barber. Heather has concentrated fully on teaching and playing traditional music on the Scottish harp. She teaches the clarsach at local schools, privately and throughout Scotland. In addition to the harp, inspired since childhood with ancient family stories, legends and international wonder tales, she has been working closely with the Scottish Storytelling Centre as a storyteller/harper.

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