Youth pipe band wins world title
CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. >> The Capital District Youth Pipe Band, which includes two players from Greenfield Center and two from Glens Falls, won the 2019 World Pipe Band Championship and Best Drum Corps titles in Grade Novice B.
The competitions were held on Aug. 17, at Glasgow Green in Scotland. The band competed against 20 other Novice B bands to win these titles.
The local players are two pairs of brothers: Kieran Dowd is a senior at Glens Falls High School, and Eamonn Dowd is an eighth grader at Glens Falls Middle School. Owen Zon is now a freshman at the University of Albany, and Dillon Zon is a junior at Saratoga Springs High School.
Kieran played bass drum for the band, Eamonn played tenor drum, Owen played the bagpipes, and Dillon played the snare drum.
The local boys joined bagpipers and drummers from all over the eastern United States as part of their World-championship band. Talented youth from New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida all combined their talents into a seamless ensemble for the Capital District Youth Pipe Band.
In addition, while in Scotland, the Capital District Youth Pipe Band competed on Aug. 10 in North Berwick at the International Highland Games. They took second place.
The week before the World Pipe Band Championships, Kieran Dowd, accompanied by Dillon Zon and Shamus Rattigan of the MidHudson Valley, won best Bass Drum Player during an international drumming competition in Glasgow. The contest was called “Drumming for Drinks” (though none were consumed by the underage players).
The Capital District Pipe Band is led by Director Maureen Connor. It is a not-for-profit organization that provides professional instruction on bagpipes and Scottish drumming for children ages 8 to 18. New lessons for students of all ages begin in the end of September.
More information can be obtained at www.cdyouthpipeband.com or by calling (518) 374-6034. The band practices at Celtic Hall, 430 New Karner Road, Albany, NY.