MEMBER ROSTER AND BIOS


DaveSpurlock - Evening Dress
Evening Dress


David Spurlock - Military Dress
Military Dress


Dave Spurlock - Competition Dress
Competition Dress

David Spurlock began his piping career at the age of 15 in Rockville, Maryland.  As one of the founding members of his high school pipe band he became its Pipe Major in his junior year.  Dave owes his piping expertise to his early tutors:  Dr. Richard Scott Blair, Sandy Jones, Bill Logan, and Frank Early. All were and still are notable figures in the piping community.   In 1994, he came to Brevard County and joined The Oceanside Pipes and Drums.   In  1997, he became the band’s Pipe Major and changed the name of the band to The City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums.   Dave is an avid competitor in Highland Games’ piping competitions and consistently garners top awards.  He is available for a wide range of piping services throughout Brevard and neighboring Counties.   These include weddings, funerals, special events, parties, etc. 

Email: PipeMajor @ [NOSPAM] MelbournePipeBand.com or click here for more contact information.

Pipe Major David Spurlock

City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums

 

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Michael Dalton

Michael Dalton, Pipe Sergeant
( and Band Webmaster )

Michael Dalton began piping at the early age of 14 in Miami, Florida when his younger sister took up Scottish highland dancing.  Michael is originally from London, Ontario, Canada and moved to Miami with his parents in 1965.  Michael  is of Scottish and Armenian heritage and is probably one of the very few pipers to have ever performed in an Armenian Orthodox Church.  Michael  has been an active member of several bands including the Saint Andrew's Bagpipe Band of Miami (c1970s) under the direction of Pipe Major Jack Sutherland and the SpaceCoast Highlanders Pipe Band (c1980s) under the direction of Pipe Major Sam Ferguson.  After graduating Florida Institute of Technology with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Space Science / Physics he has been active in NASA Space Shuttle launch activities, services, and software development at the Kennedy Space Center.  In 2002, Michael joined the City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums and is now the band webmaster and enthusiastically involved in competition activites.   Michael is also the webmaster and owner of www.BJRnet.com. Michael retired from NASA in 2009.

editor @ [NOSPAM] BJRnet.com
or
webmaster @ [NOSPAM] MelbournePipeBand.com


GeorgeBell2.jpg (60345 bytes)

George Bell, Pipe Corporal

George Bell began piping in 1996, with the Oceanside Pipes and Drums. He now considers piping a part of his life. George has played at the flag pole on Chimney Rock,, NC, in a cave in Nashville, on board the USS Alabama, numerous Boy Scout camps in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida and even at the security area of the White House. In fact he even hiked with practice pipes to play on a thirty-four mile hike with his son. Obviously, George believes there is not a place the sound of pipes should not be heard. George can be found practicing in many of our areas parks and even on the sides of highways when it is close to a competition. He has competed and won at the highland games in piping competition. George is available for piping in many areas throughout central and East Florida. Email him at gbell8 @ [NOSPAM] yahoo.com for prices and availability.


Tim Ridner

Tim Ridner, Drum Sergeant

Bio and Photo Coming Soon!

DrumSergeant @ [NOSPAM] MelbournePipeBand.com


Mark Jafrate

Mark Jafrate, Piper

Mark Jafrate, a native of West Virginia, developed an eagerness and talent for music as a child, and has actively pursued that 'crusade' into adulthood. Beginning with classical piano at age six, he became the church organist and guitarist by age twelve. High school music explorations led him to bluegrass and the style of clawhammer banjo. The quest for new horizons of music continued at West Virginia University where Mark learned bluegrass fiddle and mandolin, performed with several bluegrass groups, and played acoustic guitar in a light rock band.
Following graduation from WVU in 1980, Mark put his Electrical Engineering Degree to work at Martin Marietta. However, he was accepted for enrollment in the University of Colorado's School of Music (performance piano). According to Mark, he "Chickened out and didn't end up going." His engineering profession then led to Melbourne, Florida, in 1983, where his efforts with a 'Paki' set of Great Highland Bagpipes failed. So, he began pedal steel guitar.
Widely traveled around the U.S. and Europe while engineering communication systems for shipping lines, Mark spent three years in Germany and began playing the Anglo conertina, Irish tin whistle, and bodhran drum. Christmas 2000, he received a practice chanter. Then he heard the Melbourne Pipes and Drums performing a a local pub... and started piping lessons under the tutelage of P/M David Spurlock. Mark has become an accomplished piper and is a mainstay of musicianship in the Band's pipe corps. He has begun the challege of tackling the intricate and intriguing Uilleann Pipes.
Additionally, Mark performs with the local Celtic band "Kindred Spirits", playing the Irish and Cape Breton style fiddle, tin whistle, concertina, and octave mandolin.

mjafrate @ [NOSPAM] cfl.rr.com


Tom Greenawalt

Tom Greenawalt, Snare Drum

Tom Greenawalt began his lengthy and gratifying percussion career in 1950 as a member of the Plant City High School Band.  He was a drummer in the Gator Marching Band while a student at University of Florida.  Following his retirement as Professor Emeritus from the UF faculty in 1991, he was attracted to the distinctive and delightful character of Pipe Band drumming.  He has performed with bands in the Scottish tradition in a variety of venues, engagements and competitive events throughout North America.  His continued interest in learning and teaching Scottish snare drumming skills has been enhanced by workshop instruction from world-class tutors such as Scott Armit, Hugh Cameron, Jim Kilpatrick and John Quigg.  Tom and his family moved to the Space Coast from Gainesville in 2001, where he enjoys snare drumming with the popular and enterprising City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums.

earleceg @ [NOSPAM] aol.com


Adam Hungerford

Adam Hungerford, Piper

Adam was born in Brevard County Florida. He has had a love for the sound of the Bagpipes and a desire to master them throughout the years. He picked up the chanter at the early age of nine years old and he demonstrates his dedication every time he plays his bagpipes. Adam attributes this love for all things Scottish to his Scottish heritage, which runs on both sides of his family. He traces his ancestry back over fifteen generations to Aberdeen Scotland. His lineage is documented and associated with nine of the major clans. Four of his closest are Gordon, Marr, Matteson and Shaw. He has been called on occasion A-Scott because Scott is his middle name. His instructor is none other than our very own Pipe Sergeant Annie Astley Padnuk. Adam has been home schooled all of his life and is very serious about his music. He has been awarded two music scholarships in 2003 and 2005 from the Scots-American Society of Brevard, Inc. Adam performs with the band and on private engagements and venues in and outside of the County of Brevard. Adam joined the City of Melbourne Pipes and drums in the Spring of 2003.vggordon6 @ [NOSPAM] nebutel.com


Jeff Morris

Jeff Morris, Piper

Bio and Photo Coming Soon!


Mike Schutze

Mike Schutze, Piper

Michael Schutze was born and reared in New Jersey, which is also the home state of many outstanding pipe bands.  His interest in the Great Highland Bagpipe began in high school after witnessing a memorable performance by one of New Jersey's touring pipe bands.  Fascinated by a range of musical horizons and dimensions, Mike began playing guitar, piano, and college singing.   Following studies in math and physics at St. Ambrose College and New York State Univ., he completed a science degree in 1973.  Mike's expertise in physics, math and electronics served him well as a classroom teacher before becoming an engineering physicist in 1978.  He admits to being called, "The Crazy Physicist," with some history and theology thrown in just to make things interesting.  Mike has also served as a math and science Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia.  He moved to Florida in 1988, and began a spirited piping initiative that led to a variety of performance experiences including funerals, parties, parades and special events.  His piping path soon converged with the Melbourne Pipes & Drums, where his solo and band musicianship abilities have enhanced the band's performance outreach.  Furthermore, Mike's active participation in the band extends to his cheerfulness and dedication as an organizer and facilitator.  Although busily engaged as a professional engineer with the space industry, Mike manages to remain very much involved with piping and performing.

happypiper @ [NOSPAM] att.net


Janet Smith

Janet Smith, Piper

Bio and Photo Coming Soon!


Pat Sullivan

Pat Sullivan, Drummer

Pat grew up in an Air Force family that moved from Edwards AFB in California to Brevard County in 1967.  His fascination with the unique rhythms and traditional technique of Scottish drumming began in 1970.  Numerous Pipe and Drum recordings featuring the incredible Scottish drumming of Alex Duthart further nurtured his interest.  Fortunately, Pat found an ideal opportunity to express and expand his percussion enthusiasm when he became a charter member of the Oceanside Pipes and Drums in 1991.  In 1997, the band changed it's name to The City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums, and Pat, under the tutelage of side drummer Dave Schmidt, dramatically enhanced his skills.  He has participated in a variety of solo and band competitions, and continues to take advantage  of instruction presented by Scottish drumming tutors such as Andy White.  Pat also enjoys playing bass guitar, keyboard, tin whistle and recorder, however, percussion is his passion.  He is adept in development and presentation of expressive snare drum beatings, and relishes "cautioning" other members in his drum corps to, "Only practice on the days that you eat".

seansacheo3 @ [NOSPAM] webtv.net


Logan Smith

Logan Smith, Drummer

Bio and Photo Coming Soon!


More members to be added soon. Attention band members: Send me your pictures and bios and I will post them here!

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