

A major part of this celebration was the hosting of a Grade 1 Invitational indoor competition featuring 7 of the world’s best bands, The House Of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead came out victorious. With the 2009 season complete the band looked ahead to 2010, and their 10th anniversary year. This propelled the band from being a band considered as having an outside chance of a prize to one that was one of the top bands in the grade. 2009 – 2014Ģ009 saw Lomond and Clyde have their most successful season yet placing at every major championship in the year except the World Pipe Band Championships. This change was complimented with the introduction of our very experienced Lead Drummer Allan Craig to the band. In the September of 2008, looking to the future, the band enlisted the services of David Wotherspoon as Pipe Major, who had previous experience of the role in Grade 1 with City of Glasgow Pipes and Drums and also had spent the 8 previous years playing with The House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead, winning World Championships along the way.

This – along with an ever strengthening pipe corps – allowed the band to post its most successful result to date with a 3rd place in Grade 2 at the 2008 Cowal championships. After this season the band changed once more with Lead Drummer Les Galbraith coming in to take over the back end with a new drum corp.

The band worked during the next several years to establish themselves as serious contenders within the grade, including a best drum corps title at the Scottish Championships in 2006 and a 4th place overall at the same competition in 2007. Due to the influx of quality the band was reassigned from Grade 3A and put in to Grade 2 for the 2005 season. In January 2005 major changes occurred with new Leading Drummer Derek Craig taking over control of the drum section with his grade 1 drum corp. With a sponsorship from Argyll Bagpipes and Kilts (Alexandria), the band launched a new image, competing in the Loch Lomond Millennium Tartan. This fast track of success was recognised by the band skipping a grade in promotion and going from grade 4A straight to 3A. As with the year before, this success resulted in the band winning the Champion of Champions title for grade 4A. Stepping up a level in to grade 4A, the success continued with a win at the Scottish Championship and also achieving a third place at the World Pipe Band Championships. In this first season the band was crowned Scottish, British and European Champions, leading to the title of Champion of Champions for grade 4B. The band commenced competition this year under the direction of Pipe Major Paul Warren and Leading Drummer James (Stix) Moore.

Lomond and Clyde Pipe Band came into being in March of 2000, changing its name from Clydebank and District Pipe Band. While 2018 marked the Band’s debut in the top grade, it has been an amazing journey so far! The Band comes from humble beginnings, and looks forward to the 2019 season with an influx of members filling both the Pipe and Drum corps. The band is based in the West-End of Glasgow and currently competes in Grade 1 under the direction of Pipe Major Don Bradford and Leading Drummer Adrian Hoy. The haunting beauty of Glencoe, Scotland – site of the massacre of many members of the McDonald Clan by forces of King William II.Lomond and Clyde Pipe Band was established in 2000. The photo of Alexander Sr, used in a story for the Times-Review. plays a tune for Melawend! Near Glencoe, Scotland.
#Lock lomond bagpipe player full#
Packing up my camp from a soggy field near the south shore of Loch Lomond, ScotlandĪlexander Stewart – in full regalia, playing bagpipes near Glencoe, Scotland.Īlex Stewart Jr. Melawend and I reach the south shore of Loch Lomond, Scotland! I believe in the background is Ben Lomond on the eastern shore. But what more could I say of it? I was an ignorant young guy. I knew Scotland was a hell of a lot more than that. They had a throaty accent, and were resolute in their individuality. My image of Scots was of a people that were valiant, proud, tenacious, boisterous, brawling, vigorous, weathered, and hearty. To me, Scotland was Lomond’s beauty, the monster Nessie, rugged shores, barren green hinterlands, harsh wet weather, strong liquor, bagpipes and kilts. I had four primary destinations in Scotland: Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, Inverness, and Edinburgh. Soggy but happy, Melawend and I reach Scotland!
