This weekend marked a momentous occasion for St Columba’s School: we won the coveted title of Pipe Band World Champions!
The news has not quite sunk in, despite the raucous cheers, leaps and hugs on Glasgow Green, the jovial bus ride back home and the celebratory performance on our return to Kilmacolm on Saturday evening. At assembly on Monday morning, where the news was formally announced to the whole Senior School, the air was alive with excitement, the smiles ubiquitous. Around 20 band members from the Class of 2023 sat shoulder to shoulder in the pews – something they never thought would be the case again. Mind you, the reason for their attendance was also a feat none of them thought they would ever accomplish: World Champions for the Novice A category (promotion to this category was also achieved this year) and Champion of Champions for the 2023 competition season. How did piper Cayla W-W take to the stage for the award presentation with such decorum and grace? The mood on the ground was not quite as calm as our newly acquired accolades rang out across Glasgow! It was an incredibly special moment for everyone involved and we laud her for displaying such stoicism in the face of so much excitement!
Over the years, St Columba’s Piping & Drumming Programme has gone from strength to strength, and we do not say this flippantly, we have the silverware to prove it! Under the leadership of Gordon Bruce, one of the world’s leading pipers, just over a fifth of our pupils enroll in the Piping and Drumming Programme. Mr Bruce is friendly, fun and self-deprecating with a passion for traditional Scottish music. Do not underestimate him though: discipline, tenacity, and accountability are his watchwords. Pupils from Junior 3 can enter the programme and then begin their journey, earning promotion and opportunities to perform along the way. The Piping & Drumming programme is a meritocracy in its purest form, and consequently, you may see junior pupils overtake their senior peers for entry to the Pipe Band.
The programme, which to all intents and purposes is part of St Columba’s rich extracurricular offering, instils in young people the skills which will set them apart from others in school, university, and life. Mr Bruce and his team of world class musicians and teachers earn the respect of their pupils through their model of encouragement, self-accountability but responsibility towards the team, determination, and aspiration. Pipers and drummers always look immaculate in their uniforms, which they wear with pride at all times; they work incredibly hard too, attending team practice sessions before and after school, they perform at home, in the community and further afield. In short, the programme is a key part of their young lives. While pupils may set down their pipes or drum after school, all the skills they have learned from Mr Bruce, Miss Augaitis, Mr Gray, and Mr Ross will stand them in good stead for the future.
We will aim to thank everyone who has made these wins possible: first and foremost, our pupils, who have earned these titles through hard work and dedication; the Piping & Drumming programme parents who never tire of attending performances or competitions St Columba’s brollies in hand, or fundraising for new uniform, instruments and tours; our sponsors, whose support has helped the programme flourish and taken us to places as far flung as New York. To the staff whose guidance and mentorship has produced such outstanding musicians: Mr Bruce, Miss Augaitis, Mr Gray and Mr Ross; each of them work tirelessly and unstintingly to make this programme the success it is. To everyone else in our community who supports the band: your support has gotten us to where we are today – thank you!
Finally, as the dust settles, we direct our attention to all the wider Piping & Drumming Programme: these titles are also yours! You are part of a winning team and we hope that these titles can and will be yours if you work hard enough for them. The world is at your feet – grab it!
