Double Gold Dougie Murray new LA Scots pipe-major

After more than 35 years with the Los Angeles Scots as a piper and current pipe-major, Scott MacDonald is retiring as a competing member, with Highland Society of London Gold Medallist and former Grade 1 band leader Douglas Murray of Fife, Scotland, taking over the top spot.

As LA Scots’ pipe-major, Murray will remain in Scotland and has no plans to move. He will coordinate Grade 2 band practices online and travel regularly to Southern California and Europe.

MacDonald said he will remain president of the band.

MacDonald said that the band plans to attend all five RSPBA championships in 2027. He stressed that, since the band has players based in the UK, continental Europe, Canada, and the USA, and no Grade 2 bands in its general area, it makes sense to travel to the UK rather than eastern North America because of travel expenses.

Under MacDonald, LA Scots won Grade 2 at the 1997 World Championships, ushering the group to Grade 1, peaking at eleventh at the Worlds in the top grade. In 2005, he passed the pipe-majorship to Colin Armstrong, who led the band for 14 years; the band returned to Grade 2 by request in 2018, and MacDonald returned to the role in 2019.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as pipe-major of this band during two stints,” MacDonald said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have led and supported such a wonderful group of musicians. I have tremendous respect for the band, its history and traditions, and the friendships we have built along the way.”

Douglas Murray was pipe-major of Grade 1 Police Scotland Fife from 2013 to 2021, and in 2014 achieved the rare solo piping “Double,” by winning both Highland Society of London Gold Medals at the Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting.

“I am looking forward to and excited to take on this new opportunity at LA Scots as pipe-major and taking over from Scott MacDonald, who has done a fantastic job,” Murray said. “It is a privilege to be part of the band.”

LA Scots’ lead-drummer, Scott Walsh, also lives in Scotland, and has successfully managed the drum section since 2023.

“Having our pipe-major based in Scotland alongside Scott Walsh will allow us to build a stronger foundation from which to field a competitive pipe band. In recent years, given the elevated performance level required to achieve at the top level of pipe bands, it has become necessary to recruit globally. We needed to be bold and dynamic in our approach and change things up.”

In recent years, Murray has been a member of Grade 1 Field Marshal Montgomery.

Through a variety of personnel circumstances, LA Scots have been able to field a competitive band in the top grades. The band returned to the Worlds in 2026, finishing eleventh in their Grade 2 qualifying round and not making the 12-band final.

Those interested in joining LA Scots are encouraged to email Douglas Murray.

Be sure to see “A Bridge Too Far,” pipes|drums three-part series with Scott MacDonald, Kenny MacLeod and John Cairns on the challenge for Grade 2 bands reaching and staying in Grade 1:

• A Bridge Too Far? Three leaders discuss why the upgrade from Grade 2 to Grade 1 can be so hard . . . or even fatal – Part 1
• A Bridge Too Far? Three leaders discuss why the upgrade from Grade 2 to Grade 1 can be so hard . . . or even fatal – Part 2
• A Bridge Too Far? Part 3 – John Cairns, Scott MacDonald and Kenny MacLeod on the difficulty going from Grade 2 to Grade 1