Don resides in Otaki NZ, and has been a member of the band when it was formed in 2009. He was Pipe Sergeant for a time and was responsible for tuning the band for many years. Don comes from a prominent Christchurch piping family.  The McAlpine family featured large in the history of the Christchurch Metropolitan Highland Pipe Band for nearly 70 years.  Don’s father was Drum Major and his uncle was Pipe Major for a very long time.

Don was a high school teacher.  He taught at Otaki, a small town north of Wellington. In 1984, he joined the Pipes and Drums of John Haig and later went on to be Pipe Major of the Horowhenua Pipe Band.  Both bands competed regularly at national contests with some success, mainly in grade 2, but also in grade 1.