Pipe band contest drums up interest
Closing date for applications is set for Jan 20
Time is running out for schools across Perth and Kinross to submit entries for the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships.
The event, the largest of its kind in the world, takes place in Edinburgh in March and attracts more than 700 youngsters from around 120 schools.
The closing date for applications for this year’s showpiece is January 20.
Ahead of the deadline Alexandra Duncan, chief executive of organisers the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT), said: “We are delighted to be hosting the championships once more and have already received a huge number of entries.
“Our trust aims to protect the heritage of our national instrument but, more importantly, we aim to help improve outcomes for school pupils which will hopefully change lots of young people’s lives for the better.
“Piping and being part of a band develops a wide range of life and employability skills including teamwork, individual and shared achievement, discipline,
Crieff High School Pipe Band at the town’s Highland Games
commitment and self-confidence as well as musicality.”
The SSPDT has also revealed plans to double funding to allow youngsters to learn the pipes and drums on the same basis as other orchestral instruments.
In its first year, more than 1000 pupils in Scotland – in 93 state schools from 13 local authority areas – received tuition under schemes funded by the SSPDT, worth around £275,000 in total.
The charity has now said it is prepared to invest £500,000 in tutors and loaning instruments in 2017 to ensure even more young people can be taught.
Alex continued: “It is a shame that the vast majority of our young people are not offered the chance to learn our national instruments in schools.
“We are pleased to be working closely with local authorities who are increasingly seeing the benefits of offering piping and drumming alongside other instruments in schools.
“We are delighted to see the programme grow and for new pipe bands to be formed to become a focus of pride for schools and communities.”
•To enter the championships, see www. thechampionships.org.uk