Piping contest to grow

Livingston event

A schools piping competition which is already the biggest in the world is set to grow further.

Organisers of next year’s Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships say they expect over 150 schools from across Scotland to be represented at the event at Inveralmond Community High in Livingston.

Event organiser Patrick Gascoigne said the predicted boost is based on the number of school pupils being taught in programmes run by parent charity the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust.

He said: “The work of the trust has been growing very fast and we now have projects going in 18 council areas supporting lessons to over 2500 young people.

“We are getting a large number of enquiries from schools wanting to come along to the event on March 10 in Livingston already.”

Alexandra Duncan, trust chief executive, said: “SSPDT aims to safeguard our wonderful musical traditions and to help young people develop skills for life, learning and work, with a focus on deprived and remote areas, by helping to introduce piping and drumming tuition to state schools on a par with orchestral instruments. “We established the championships in 2011 to offer a positive and friendly experience for players who are new to competition, and as a forum for bands at the very top of their game.

“We are delighted to see entries from new schools pipe bands that have been created with the trust’s help. All enquiries can be made via our website sspdt.org.uk.”