Scottish schools to take centre stage in just two weeks
THE COUNTDOWN is on for 99 schools set to compete in one of the nation’s biggest piping and drumming events.
On Sunday 10th March, 99 schools in Scotland will blow up a storm at the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championship (SSPBC), with participating schools joining from all over Scotland, from the Highlands to Ayrshire.
Entries are also now officially open for the competition’s coveted Eilidh MacLeod Endeavour Award – an award honouring the young Manchester Arena attack victim from Barra, who would have turned 21 last month.
https://thechampionships.org.uk/enter-championships/endeavour-award-nomination/
The Championships was launched in 2013, as part of a nationwide drive by the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT) to revive dwindling access to the instruments – despite evidence of multiple positive benefits.
Alexandra Duncan, Chief Executive of SSPDT, said: “The Championships are a huge day in the piping calendar and this, the 10th Championships, will be bigger than ever.
“We’re very grateful to East Ayrshire Council for hosting the event and working closely with us in order to bring the fun-filled day back to Ayrshire. As the big day gets closer, we can’t wait to welcome 99 schools to what is always an incredible, music-filled celebration.”
Featuring 85 performances across the day, the event will be hosted by East Ayrshire Council and see pipe bands, quartets and freestyle ensembles go head-to-head at the William McIlvanney Campus in Kilmarnock on 10 March 2024. Expert judges will adjudicate eight categories, ranging from Debut to Novice Juvenile.
The Championship is independently organised by the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT). It carries the support of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) but is not a RSPBA competition.
SSPDT believes that every pupil should have the chance to learn the pipes and drums on the same basis as other school instrumental tuition.
The national charity was formed with the belief that pipe bands are much more than a musical pastime; they help young people develop life and employability skills such as teamwork, resilience and perseverance, community spirit, self-confidence, camaraderie and a sense of discipline and dress.
The charity’s founders also recognised that where community pipe bands were folding or had an aging membership, tuition in schools could create younger new players to join them, and thus help safeguard Scotland’s musical heritage.
For more information on the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships, visit http://www.thechampionships.org.uk/
For more information on the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust, visit www.sspdt.org.uk
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