Roddy MacLeod is a piping legend, a superbly accomplished and successful solo competitor and as a teacher, composer, pipe major, recitalist and festival organiser, one of the biggest contributors to modern piping.
Roddy was born on August 26th, 1962 in Glasgow to parents with Hebridean backgrounds. His mother being from Benbecula, his father’s family being from Lewis and both parents being involved in Gaelic choirs and island associations, Gaelic music and song were often heard at home in Cumbernauld as Roddy was growing up. The first time Roddy heard a pipe band, at a local gala day, he was captivated and when the Cumbernauld Pipe Band formed, Roddy’s father became involved and took Roddy’s older brothers along for bagpipe lessons.
Roddy was playing by ear, copying his brothers, from the age of five, then at the age of ten he began taking formal lessons, at first from Hugh Wilson of Cumbernauld Pipe Band and then, from the age of twelve, with Duncan Johnstone at the College of Piping in Glasgow. He would continue studying with Duncan Johnstone for more than twenty years.
When the family moved into Glasgow, Roddy played with Glasgow Schools Pipe Band before joining, at the age of sixteen, the Red Hackle Pipe Band, which at the time was competing at Grade 1. He then moved on to the British Caledonian Airways Pipe Band, which evolved into the Scottish Power Pipe Band, and as its pipe major from 1995 to 2005, he led the band to some forty-five Grade 1 Championship prizes including the Cowal Championship and the All-Ireland Championship.
In 2008, Roddy was involved in the formation of the Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band, which brought together a group of elite solo pipers and drummers for one week. With Roddy as its pipe major, the band competed at Grade 1 at the World Pipe Band Championship and qualified for the final.
As a soloist, Roddy won his first Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in 1986. Then, having won the Kishmul Banner for composition in 1987, he won the Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal in 1988 and went on to flourish as a player and interpreter of piobaireachd as well as continuing his success as a light music competitor. In 1992 he won the first of four Glenfiddich Piping Championships, where he has also won the March, Strathspey and Reel section twice and the piobaireachd event a record eight times. A five times winner of the Bratach Gorm and six times winner of the Silver Chanter, he has also won the Northern Meeting Clasp twice and the Gillies Cup Open Piobaireachd in London nine times.
As well as giving recitals in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, China, throughout Europe, Scandinavia and the Middle East, Roddy has gained international esteem as a teacher and adjudicator. He has been at the forefront in piping innovation, development, education and promotion and as Principal of the National Piping Centre, which was established in Glasgow in 1996, he has been a major driving force behind initiatives including the BA (Scottish Music – Piping) degree programme, the establishment of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland, the formation of the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board, and the inauguration of the annual Piping Live! festival.
His complete dedication to piping has seen Roddy recognised with the MBE in 2003 and in 2004 he was awarded the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Award for Music.