A Coquitlam resident and pipe major with the six-time world champion SFU Pipe Band will join his brother on Thursday to receive honorary degrees from the post-secondary institution.
Terry Lee and his brother Jack Lee, a Surrey resident who is the pipe sergeant, will be recognized for their work in bringing the band to the international level. They will be led into Convocation Mall by fellow band members and, after the ceremony, the pair is expected to perform.
"Receiving an honorary degree from Simon Fraser University is a terrific honour," Jack Lee said in a news release. "Terry and I have been deeply involved in bagpipe education at SFU for over 30 years. We have helped to spread the excellent name and reputation of SFU throughout the bagpipe world. We love what we do and never anticipated receiving such a great honour for something we enjoy so much."
Considered one of the world's best pipers, Jack Lee has won all of the top international awards available, twice winning the Highland Society of London Gold medal (2001 and 1981) and twice, the coveted Clasp at Inverness (2010 and 1994).
The brothers' teaching expertise is sought globally, including annual field schools in New Zealand and throughout the eastern U.S.
"I'd like to think that the legacy of the pipe band is the sustaining of musical excellence - both in the senior band but, in addition, among our youth band," Terry said. "There have now been many hundreds of kids come through our system and to see them grow as people and musicians is fantastic. With Jack and I, cumulatively having four sons come through it all the way to the SFUPB, we feel like our future is bright."
