PUPILS from Fife will be pitching their musical skills against youngsters from across Scotland when they compete in world’s largest schools piping and drumming competition and their will be Cowdenbeath contenders.
A record number of entries, including 72 school pipe bands and freestyle ensembles as well as 14 quartets for young pipers and drummers, are to go head-to-head at Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships (SSPBC) in Edinburgh on Saturday.
The competition– which attracts about 800 youngsters from around 120 schools, including St. Leonards School, Beath High School and Madras College – was established to encourage the formation of school pipe bands. It features taster grades for youngsters with no competing experience, as well as providing a forum for schools competing at the highest level.
Currently in its fifth year, the Championships – organised by The Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT) - will see pupils compete in seven categories, meaning that bands can enter the category best suited to their skill set and experience.
Alexandra Duncan, Chief Executive of The Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust, said. “We are delighted to see so many schools represented for the first time.
“The whole purpose of this event is to encourage the formation of pipe bands in state schools and to put our national instruments on a par with other music provision in the classroom.
“Since the creation of the schools Championships, and the formation of The Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust, there has been a considerable increase in the provision of in-school piping and drumming tuition across Scotland."
The SSPDT have already revealed plans to double its funding through its schools programme to allow pupils in Scotland the chance to learn the pipes and drums on the same basis as other orchestral instruments.
The Cowdenbeath Area Committee took the decision a couple of years ago to put funding into pipe music tuition in primary schools in the area and it has seen many young pipers and drummers develop.
The Beath and Lochgelly school bands have benefited as has the Cardenden Community Pipe Band and Kelty and Blairadam
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