For over fifty years Shelley MacPhee has been a driving force and is heavily influential with the ongoing operation of the Glengarry School of Piping and Drumming. During this time, hundreds of students, a good number from Glengarry, have passed through the school, learning the fine art of highland bagpiping and drumming.

Shelley’s piping career began in 1967 under the direction of Charlie Bell at the Glengarry School of Piping and Drumming (GSPD) in Maxville. Shelley’s mother, Sybil, was a member of the executive of GSPD and very supportive in this role. Shelley progressed quickly and her grade 8 teacher was the renowned Connie Kippen Blaney.

By 1970 Shelley joined the Glengarry Pipe Band under the direction of Pipe Major Dave Danskin. This afforded her many trips to Scotland. She spent a few years playing for the City of Brockville Pipe Band.

When Shelley had children, who later became accomplished pipers themselves, she honoured them with two new tunes written in their namesake; Captain John’s piobaireachd “Lullaby for Iain” and the famous Scott MacAulay hornpipe “Emily Kate MacLellan.”

In 1986, Shelley returned with her family to Maxville and resumed her spot in the band and began teaching at the GSPD even through the summer months. Her constant support is matched by her constant pursuit of current pipe band best practices. Many of her bands were awarded winning ensembles locally and at World Competitions.

Shelley worked closely with Robert Wilson and Janet MacCrimmon to rebuild the school after her mother passed. She received the Canada 150 Sesquicentennial Award for Community Service and was a 2020 selected Inductee to the Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame and was inducted in 2022.

Glengarry is grateful to Shelley for her work, spreading and bettering the Celtic tradition of piping and drumming. May her contributions and gifts continue to influence our love of Celtic Culture. Her own words describes what success means in piping and drumming, “Success in pipe bands relies on three things, really good instruction, good leadership, and everyone’s need to be given a chance.”