Biography

Campbell Naismith was born in Toronto, Canada and began piping at age 8 under the instruction of his father, James. At the age of 11, a lifelong piping nexus was initiated as a student and a colleague of James McColl. Campbell won numerous amateur and professional prizes in the United States and in Scotland, including the United Scottish Societies of Los Angeles’ March, Strathspey, and Reel and Piobaireachd Trophies, the Purgavie Horn for Professional Piobaireachd at the Santa Rosa Games and the Brodick Centenary MSR Cup. Campbell competed for the Silver Medal in Oban, Scotland in 1986.
A career of sustained pipe band involvement began in 1964 as Pipe Major of the House of Scotland Junior Pipe Band and continued into the early 1970’s with the Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band, winners of the Caledonian Club of San Francisco Grade 1 Pipe Band Championship in Santa Rosa. The three years from 1978 through 1981 were spent as Pipe Major and instructor of the St. Thomas’ Episcopal School Pipes and Drums in Houston, Texas. Campbell traveled and competed with the St. Thomas Band in Scotland and the United States and departed St. Thomas School leaving behind a 100-member pipe band program and three fine grade 3 and grade 4 bands. Subsequently, he returned to California and rejoined the House of Scotland Pipe Band. Under his instruction, this band progressed from Grade 4 beginnings to become established grade 2 and grade 4 powerhouses, which were dominant in Western United States Pipe Band Association competitions in the 1980’s. In 1994, after a 3-year absence from band activities, he joined the Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band for a second time. Unbeaten in the United States for several years, the L.A. Scots competed in Scotland in 1994, 1995, and 1996 at the Grade 2 World’s Pipe Band Championship. In 1997, the Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band became the first band from the United States to win the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Grade 2 World Championship. Campbell was the Pipe Sergeant of the L. A. Scots at that time and during their first two years in grade 1 competition. The Band finished in eleventh place in the RSPBA grade 1 World Championship in 1999, the highest placing of any U.S. band.

Since leaving the band Campbell has recorded the fine highland and national dance CD, Highland Dance Beat, and a CD of his own compositions, CHOONS, which features both big and small pipes accompanied by percussion. He has two published books of pipe music: The Vortex Street Collection, 1996, and The Purple Land Collection, 2005. All are available through Vortex Street Music.

Campbell Naismith is the Distinguished Teacher in Residence at the University of California, San Diego, where he lectures and supervises in Education Studies. He is an instructor, adjudicator, and the Music Board Chairperson for the Western United States Pipe Band Association.

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