28/11/2025
🎵Piping Judge🎵
Brian Williamson is certainly one of most recognizable members of the Ottawa Branch, and over the past fifty years has been one of the most active of pipers, teachers, and adjudicators. By far he has been one of the most prolific contributors to everything involved with the society, both at the Branch level and the Provincial level.
Brian grew up in Ottawa with no piping or other musical background in his family, but seeing pipers at the Changing of the Guard ceremony on Parliament Hill, and again at his grandfather’s retirement, it must have planted a seed. He started lessons in September 1963 (at age nine) under Pipe Major Sam Scott of Manotick. Following Sam Scott’s death in January 1972, Brian continued his piping studies for several years under Archie Cairns with weekly private lessons as well as attending summer courses Archie ran for military pipers. He also drew significantly in his later development from James McIntosh (MBE), Murray Henderson, Bill Gilmour, Scott MacAulay, and Colin MacLellan.
Outside the piping realm, Brian also appreciated time with the leading edge drummer John Kerr for helping him to understand how to read, play, and write rhythms. Brian’s long solo competitive piping career included prize-winning performances at highland games in Ontario, the Prairies, throughout the north-eastern and south-eastern US.
📅Date: Saturday, November 29th @ 6:00 pm
📍Location: Junior Ranks Mess (3rd Floor), 4 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa, ON K2P 2H9, Canada
🎟️Admission: https://www.ppbso-ottawa.org/knockout-series
