Dave has played music (clarinet, guitar) since he was aged 9, but didn't start the pipes in earnest until he was 36.  His first attempt to learn the pipes, at 18,  was with the AmerScots of Stone Ridge, NY.  However, he was told they needed drummers not pipers.  From there he moved on to Oklahoma to do graduate work in Astrophysics and then on to San Diego.  Finally, at the 1986 San Diego Scottish Games, he hooked up with the late John and Charlie Rosenberger and the Cameron Highlanders.  He took his first chanter lesson the next day and marched his first parade 8 months later.

     A year and a half later Dave moved to Syracuse, NY for a job change.  The job recruitment process included the hiring manager researching the local pipe band situation before he hired on.  Dave has been a member of the Syracuse Scottish's  competition band since March 1988.  He has taken lessons from Maryann Lewis for solo competitions in Grade IV.  He does fairly well with piobreachd, but still needs work on his light music if he is to move beyond Grade IV.

    Dave works as a systems engineer for Ocean Systems Engineering Corporation and teaches physics and astronomy at Onondaga Community College.  He lives in the Syracuse area with his wife Dr. Barbara Hill and his two children Davey and Shaina.  He is the vendor coordinator and currently the President for the Central NY Scottish Games and Celtic Festival, a former Chief Convenor for the Central NY St. Andrew's Society and Secretary for the Syracuse Scottish Pipe Band.

to contact dave email:  gordond@sunyocc.edu
updated July 2005