A record-breaking number of young musicians from across Scotland visited Ayrshire and took to the stage at this year’s Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships.
Held at Kilmarnock’s William McIlvanney Campus, the Championships saw a record 94 bands from 144 schools compete across eight categories, showcasing both traditional and contemporary performances.
Among the standout moments of the day was the victory of Sgoil Bhàgh a’Chaisteil in the highly competitive Freestyle category, winning £2500.
Organised by the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT), the Championships continue to highlight how piping and drumming are becoming more accessible in Scottish schools.
Thanks to the Trust’s efforts, more young people — regardless of gender, background or financial circumstances — are now learning these traditional instruments as part of their education.
Lindsay MacKenzie, CEO of SSPDT, said: “This year’s Championships have been a landmark event. Not only did we see a record number of bands, but we also witnessed an incredible sense of community among the young musicians.
“The camaraderie, teamwork and shared passion for piping and drumming were truly inspiring. Schools across Scotland are embracing piping and drumming as an inclusive and accessible way to bring young people together, fostering teamwork, confidence and a sense of belonging through music.”
The Championships featured a range of categories, designed to provide both a high-level competitive platform and an encouraging environment for school bands with minimal or no competition experience.
The winners in each category were:
Freestyle – 1st Sgoil Bhàgh a’Chaisteil; 2nd Gordonstoun School; 3rd Renfrewshire Schools ‘A’; 4th Tynecastle Youth & Community Pipe Band; 5th Preston Lodge High School.
Juvenile – 1st George Watson’s College; 2nd Dollar Academy; 3rd George Heriot’s School.
Novice Juvenile A – 1st George Watson’s College; 2nd Lochgelly High School; 3rd North Lanarkshire Schools; 4th West Lothian Schools.
Novice Juvenile B – 1st George Watson’s College; 2nd Skye Youth Pipe Band; 3rd Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools; 4th Merchiston Castle School.
Junior A – 1st Fettes College; 2nd Morrison’s Academy.
Junior B – 1st The Glasgow Academy; 2nd High Life Highland Pipe Band; 3rd Dumfries & Galloway Schools; 4th Gordonstoun School; 5th Alford Academy.
Junior C – Joint 1st Isle of Arran Music Schools & Kinross-shire Schools; 3rd Strathmore Schools; 4th Glasgow City Schools; 5th James Gillespie’s High School.
Quartets – 1st East Dunbartonshire Schools; 2nd Perth & Kinross Schools; 3rd East Renfrewshire Schools; 4th Govan Schools Community; 5th St Leonards School.
The prestigious Eilidh MacLeod Endeavour Award, which recognises outstanding dedication and resilience, was presented to Lewis and Harris Youth Pipe Band. Tynecastle Youth & Community Pipe Band were second place and Isle of Skye Youth Pipe Band third place.
East Ayrshire Provost Claire Leitch said: “What an incredible honour for East Ayrshire to host the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Championships for the fourth time at the William McIlvanney Campus in Kilmarnock.
“Incredibly, the standard of competition seems to improve year on year, with really magnificent performances from the young pipers and drummers.
“It was a day to celebrate the rich tradition of pipe band music, but more than that it was an opportunity to celebrate the dedication and passion of young pipers and drummers from across Scotland. Events like this benefit our young people in ways beyond the music itself.”
For the Sgoil Bhàgh a’Chaisteil winning pipers the day was all the more dramatic thanks to a cancelled ferry.
Meechan McClellan, 17, said: “It took us a full day to get here, the ferry we were meant to get got cancelled, so we had to drive 7 hours to be here.
“The two islands are next to each other and it’s good for us to practice together, even though it’s a lot of travel.”
Teacher Donald McDonald added: “We had to go up to Skye and drive down from there, which was a slight longer drive. I teach in Bhagwan every Thursday and teach in the Sgoil schools through the week. There’s so much talent between the two islands, we’ve got a pipe band joined with the two schools and two freestyles.
“It’s great and this is one of my favourite competitions, we’ve been coming here since 2013.”
Scott Figgans, Pipe Major of Isle of Arran band, said: “We chos something a wee bit different this year to cover a pop song on the pipes. We have a big backing band as well, which involves a lot more students from the high school who wouldn’t normally be involved which is nice to see.
“They’ve created a nice wee community amongst themselves, and there is such a large portion of kids from the island here.
“We also had a junior band coming to join us, which is a lot of our younger players first outing in the band. It’s very exciting for them. The youngest we have is nine years old and the oldest we have is 17.”
Fifteen-year-old Alexander Macloud, of Eilidh MacLeod Endeavour Award winners Lewis and Harris Youth Pipe Band, added: “This year we lost a few pipers because they have went to uni, but we have had some people come in who are great and they’ve changed the dynamic.
“I’ve been in the band since the start and I’ve made more than friendships, it’s like a family here. Being in the band has given me so much confidence and has helped me in school.”
Since its launch in 2015, SSPDT has worked to break down barriers to participation by providing free instrument loans, tuition grants and internship programmes.
The Trust continues to advocate for equal opportunities in music education, ensuring that every pupil has the chance to learn the pipes and drums alongside other school instruments. It currently supports young musicians and schools across 27 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, expanding access to piping and drumming nationwide.
The 2025 Championships were made possible through generous sponsorship, with support from Wallace Bagpipes (Junior C competition), The Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust (Freestyle category), the William Grant Foundation and The Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo, creating more opportunities for young musicians on the national stage.
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