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Pipe Band Drumming Lessons - About Scott

At the age of 8 I began learning the snare drum at Bucksburn & District Pipe Band. I guess it was fate really, there’s a photo of me with a drum aged about 2 or 3 years. I played in the Novice/Juvenile band and became World, European and British Champions, and Champion of Champions by 1997. By the next year I'd joined the Senior band in Grade 2, and picked up a number of titles including both Band and Drum Corps Champion of Champions, before promotion to Grade 1 – the pinnacle for Pipe Bands.

Since 1997 I've been heavily involved in teaching the Junior Band at Bucksburn. Since around 2000 I've been in charge of the junior corps, writing and teaching the snare, tenor and bass parts. I've found this just as enjoyable - if not more so - than playing myself. I've written a couple of booklets for learning snare and tenor - the snare booklet is now in its 3rd revision.

I've run a number of workshops for bands around the North-East, in the process working with some of the World's top drummers including Jim Kilpatrick, Gordon Brown, John Moneagle, Tyler Fry, Scott Currie, Steven McQuillen and many others.  The experience of working with these guys has shown me that you never stop learning and helping the art form to evolve. I've also taught at the Gordon Gatherin, a music and drama weeklong event held in Inverurie for school kids to learn traditional arts with a bit of fun, and at Aberdeen's Gaelic Feis event..

While at Inverurie Academy I played in a Folk Band called "Celtacad" that we created, and which played at a number of small ceilidhs and charity events, before hitting the big time with the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, and the amazing invite to play at HRH Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee Celebrations at Balmoral Castle. Since then it's been a great honour to repeatedly be invited back to perform with the Bucksburn Novice band at the AIYF opening ceremony. I have also travelled across the globe performing, in places including Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, Spain and Holland.

In 2007 I played for Grampian Police Pipe Band. Through this I made contacts which got me a position teaching Pipe Band drumming in Aberdeen schools. In the Autumn of 2008 I was asked to take on the Lead Drummer's role at Bucksburn & District, a prestigious task for me to lead the band I was brought up with. Also in the Autumn 2008 I was given the opportunity to teach Pipe Band Drumming at Lathallan School near Johnshaven, and Gordonstoun School near Elgin. This has opened many doors to more teaching jobs around the North-East and gives me a job I love doing.

Qualifications

2003-2007     1st Class BSc (Hons) Computer Science from The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

2009                PDQB Level 4 Certificate in Pipe Band Drumming awarded by L/D Eric Ward

Accomplishments

Below is a short list of accomplishments over the years.