Donald Macpherson (piper)
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MacPherson was born into a large family on 5 September 1922 in Glasgow.[1] He received all of his tuition from his father Iain, who was an army piper during the First World War, and had been taught by John MacDougall Gillies.[2][3] Iain injured his hand when Donald was aged 5 and rarely played his pipes after that, but gave Donald instruction in all aspects of bagpipe playing.[4]
Donald joined the Boys' Brigade pipe band at the age of 12. He entered his first solo competition at the age of 15, at the Cowal Highland Gathering, where he won both the Under 15 March, Strathspey and Reel and the Under 18 Piobaireachd.[4] He also played in the Glasgow Shepherds pipe band under Archie MacPhedran.[5]
After leaving school he was an apprentice at the West of Scotland Engineering Company, but volunteered for the Royal Air Force when the Second World War broke out. Shortly before returning from training in Naples he was seriously injured in a vehicle crash, and never regained full mobility in his left arm.[6][1]
While stationed in Wiltshire he met his wife Gwen, with whom he had three daughters.[7][8]
He worked as an engineer and lived for several years outside Scotland, working at Barr and Stroud for many years, and also spending some time at Singer.[1] At times when living outside Scotland he did not compete for several years, but was always able to return to the top level of competition within months. During one of these breaks he became an accomplished pianist.[6]
In 1971 he took up a permanent post at the College of Piping in Glasgow, where he was responsible for testing goods for sale and developing the programme of lessons and courses.[5] He left that post after falling out with Seumas MacNeill, and from then on refused to play in front of MacNeill, so never competed in the Glenfiddich Championships.[3]
He was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1986 for his services to piping.[3] He died on 21 April 2012 in Edinburgh.[5]
