Martin Lowe, OBE
It is with sadness that we report the death of Dr. Martin Lowe, OBE, on October 9, 2011, after a brief illness with pancreatic cancer.
While not a top-flight piper, Lowe was very involved with the Scottish piping community and was Honourary Secretary and Honourary Pipe-Major of the Royal Scottish Pipers Society and served on the Board of Directors of the National Piping Centre.
As a director with the National Piping Centre he helped to establish the degree in piping program with the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom.
Martin Lowe received an Order of the British Empire in 2002 for “services to higher education” in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
He was also involved with the Lowland Pipers Society, as well as a trustee for the East Lothian Pipes & Drums Trust, an organization set up in 2007 to Our main aim is to give youth in East Lothian the opportunity to learn the Highland pipes and pipe band drums.
The funeral is expected to be during the week of October 17.
We extend our sympathies to Martin Lowe’s family and friends at this sad time.
Like most people who knew Martin, I was shocked to hear of his passing so soon after his diagnosis. Martin was a wonderful man who was incredibly supportive of piping and education in Scotland. I had the great honour of working with Martin while employed at the National Piping Centre, and as a board member at the NPC, Martin could not have been more helpful, positive, or supportive of the Centre and its entire staff. He always made the time for each individual, and it was a pleasure to know and work with Martin. He was a true gentleman. My condolences to Martin’s family. Megan Canning.
I echo Megan’s comments. I’m very sad to hear this. Martin really was a true gentleman and it was a pleasure to know him. Stuart Cassells
I’m very sad to hear the news. Martin was a perfect gentleman and did a lot of hard work to promote piping behind the scenes, being an important member of several well known piping organisations. He always had a smile and was well known to pipers of all ages, we will miss him in the piping world.
A sad note and a shock also to read. Martin was always a bright face to see when I came into the Piping Centre, and he spent a great deal of time talking to me about teaching, supporting the program and he took great interest in what we were doing here in Halifax. His support for everyone, young, old, great player or less experienced was always equal and impressive to note. His contributions to the many societies, which he plays an important role in will be greatly missed. Bruce Gandy
I would like to pay tribte to Martin. He took great interest in my piping career, and was the point of contact I had with the Royal Scottish Piper’s Society who put me forward and paid my expenses to travel to a reception at Buckingham Palace for young musicians. He was also instrumental for my invitation to be the guest piper at the RSPS dinner two weeks ago. The first time a female has been given that honour. A very kind and gracious gentleman who will be saddly missed. Faye Henderson.