Jack Lee is a Canadian bagpiper and has been the pipe sergeant of the

Simon Fraser University Pipe Band The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band affiliated with Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. It is led by pipe major Alan Bevan and leading drummer J. Reid Maxwell. History The Simon Fraser Univer ...

since its inception in 1981. The band has won the

World Pipe Band Championships The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition held in Glasgow, Scotland. Overview The World Pipe Band Championships have been staged since 1947, although the Grade 1 Pipe Band Competition winners at the annual Cowal Highland Gat ...

six times.

Solo career

Lee is a successful solo competitor, having won a significant number of major prizes, including both Highland Society of London Gold Medals (

Argyllshire Gathering The Argyllshire Gathering is a Highland games held in Oban, Scotland. History A meeting on 23 August 1871 held at the Argyll Arms Hotel led to a resolution to have an "Annual Gathering of the Gentry of the County of Argyll for social purposes". ...

in 2001 and

Northern Meeting The Northern Meeting is a gathering held in Inverness, Scotland, best known for its solo bagpiping competition in September. History The Northern Meeting was set up in 1798 "for the purpose of promoting a Social Intercourse", and early editions f ...

in 1981,) the former winner's Clasp at the Northern Meeting (1994), the Canadian Gold Medal (2002), and was the first North American piper to win the Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championship (2003).

Early life and family

He was born on 6 December 1957 in

Portage la Prairie Portage la Prairie () is a small city in the Central Plains Region of Manitoba, Canada. In 2016, the population was 13,304 and the land area was . Portage la Prairie is approximately west of Winnipeg, along the Trans-Canada Highway (exactly ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, and moved to

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

at the age of 2. Lee holds a

Bachelor of Commerce A Bachelor of Commerce (BCom or B Com) is an undergraduate degree in commerce, accounting, mathematics, economics, and management-related subjects. The degree is mainly offered in Commonwealth nations. Structure Bachelor of Commerce The Bac ...

degree in accounting from the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...

. He and his brother Terry, the former pipe major of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, received the

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: Singapore *Pingat Jasa Gemilang, or Meritorious Services Me ...

by the Governor General of Canada in 1999 at a ceremony in Quebec City, Quebec. They were awarded honorary doctorates by Simon Fraser University in 2013. He and his wife Christine have three sons, Andrew, Colin, and John, who also play with Simon Fraser University.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Jack 1957 births Living people Great Highland bagpipe players Musicians from British Columbia Musicians from Manitoba People from Portage la Prairie Gold Medal winners (bagpipes) Canadian bagpipe players