Drummer snares record sixth world title in a row
INVERARAY can lay claim to a record-breaking world champion.
Steven McWhirter, lead drummer with Inveraray and District Pipe Band, last weekend won the world solo drumming championships – for a record-breaking sixth time in a row.
The championships were held on Saturday October 22 at Glasgow Caledonian University, organised through Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association and sponsored by Andante drums.
Musicians were tested in two events; march, strathspey and reel, and hornpipe and jig. Steven retained his crown after gaining the highest aggregate scores in both events.
Ballymena-born Steven, 33, joined Pipe Major Stuart Liddell at Inveraray eight years ago, after a band career including stints with bands in Australia and with Simon Fraser University Pipe Band in Canada.
In solo competition he won the under-15 world championships in 1997 and 1998, followed by the senior title in 2006. He re- gained his crown in 2011, and has retained it every year since. Inveraray and District Pipe Band reacted on Facebook: ‘Massive congratulations to Steven McWhirter on winning his seventh world solo drumming title on Saturday, breaking his own record by making it six in a row, the last three accompanied by three different pipers.
Tribute was also paid to other Inveraray drummers who performed very well at the world championships, as the statement continued: ‘Well done also to Derek Cooper, Chris McNicholl and John Henderson in the finals, Andy McCulloch and Gus Sicard in the semi-finals, and Eoin Rogers taking second place in juvenile section five.’