Wallacestone & District Pipe Band

Mid August saw the band compete at the last major championship of the season at Glasgow Green, and despite having a good run in our qualifying heat, a place in the final was not to be.
With all four judges placing the band in the top six, they tied for sixth place, only to lose out on an ensemble preference.
The disappointment was short lived, and the band spent the afternoon celebrating piper Finlay Gray’s 21st birthday along with his family, including his father, David and uncle Robert, who both also members of the Wallacestone pipe corps.
Overall, a very good first season in charge for PM Malcolm Swan, as the band finished in third place in the Champion of Champions table.
Well done all!

The 2025 European Pipe Band Championships were held in a very warm and sunny Perth on 9th of August. With the band finishing in the top three in the first two major Championships, they were hoping to go one better, but it was not to be. Despite a disappointing drumming placing, the band finished in 3rd place, behind Elgin & District and the Carnegie Mellon University Pipes and Drums from the USA.

On 26th of July the band took part in the Scottish Championships at Levengrove Park in Dumbarton.
Another solid performance saw the band finish in 2nd place behind the Scottish Borders Pipe Band, which kept them well placed in the grade 3B Champion of Champions table.
Pipe Sergeant Blair Condie is seen here collecting the trophy on behalf of the band.

Wallacestone got of to a flying start under new pipe major Malcolm Swan at the weekend.
With the first major championship on the 12th of July this year, rather than May, the band took third place in grade 3B at the UK Championships, held at Ingliston, Edinburgh.
It was also a successful day for the drum corps who took the drumming prize in the grade.
The band are now looking forward to playing their new medley at the Scottish Championships which will be held at Dumbarton on 26th July.

With the outdoor competition season now well underway, the band travelled north to Forres on the Moray coast last weekend to take part in their first major championship of the season, having not attended the UK Championships in Northern Ireland.
After taking first place in grade 3 at Markinch Games the previous week, they were hopeful of making a top six place, and were delighted to finish third, after playing their new MSR in difficult conditions.
The drum corps had an excellent result, taking the drumming prize, and with it, the title of
Grade 3B British Drumming Champions 2024.
Well done to all involved.

The band are delighted to announce recently having secured its first ever sponsorship deal.
Pilley Electrical Services is a family run business based in Stirling, who specialise in the highest quality of electrical work, carried out throughout Scotland.
The company are led by father and son team, Alan and Craig Pilley, who dropped in to a practice in Brightons last week.
Alan, who is better known in pipe band circles as “Joe”, has been a stalwart member of the band for over a decade and said they are “delighted to be involved in sponsoring the band and looking forward to an exciting competition season”.
Alan and Craig were photographed with the pipe major and leading drummer alongside band chairman, Peter Anderson.

https://pilleyelectrical.co.uk/

Congratulations to Wallacestone bass drummer Kris Scobbie who was part of the NYPB who opened the concert for the current World Pipe Band Champions, Boghall & Bathgate, at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow yesterday.
The show was part of the annual Celtic Connections music festival, the pipe band concert being one of the highlights. As well as Kris performing with the NY PB, the Boghall line up included no less than three sons of current Wallacestone players. Gavin and Calum Burns, whose father Jas plays in the Wallacestone drum corps and Gleren Meneghin, who flew in from New York to take part in the concert. Gleren’s father, Jean Pierre, also travels over from his home in Brittany each summer, to compete with the Wallacestone drum corps.
Well done to all involved for an excellent show.

The band are absolutely delighted to introduce our brand new Wallacestone & District Pipe Band Tuition Programme!

With over 150 combined years experience in the piping and drumming community, our tutors are here to take you from Chanter to Pipes and Pad to Drum!
Our programme will provide tailored tuition from ages 9 and up in all aspects of Piping and Drumming with a view of adding another competitive band to our ranks! Our tuition programme is looking to begin Mid-September, and the band currently practices in Brightons on Monday and Thursday nights!
If you’re interested in learning, register your interest below:https://us21.list-manage.com/survey…

After the departure of PM Neil Henderson in December, an EGM was held last month and piper Ciaran Payne, who has been a member of the band for the past five years, was appointed the band’s 9th Pipe Major.
The band has now started on a re-building programme and have already added a number of players to its roster.
We are still actively seeking new players for the band and have also requested to be regraded to 3A for the 2023 season.
Any pipers or drummers who are ambitious, driven and willing to work hard to help the band achieve success, please feel free to contact the new Pipe Major, Leading drummer Stewart Gardiner, or any band member.
The music for the 2023 season has now been chosen and the band will be ready to return to the contest ring by mid summer.
Wallacestone & District currently practice on Monday and Thursday evenings in Brightons, between 7:30 and 9:30, with the practice venue only a few minutes walk from Polmont railway station, or around a ten minute drive from Falkirk.

After 11 seasons in charge, Pipe Major Neil Henderson has decided to stand down for the role.
The announcement was made at the band’s AGM held in Brightons on 8th December.
Neil can proudly look back on a very successful tenure which saw the band gain promotion three times, taking them from grade 4A to grade 2. The band would like to thank Neil for his hard work and dedication over the years and wish him well for the future.
The search is now on for a suitable successor, who will only be the 9th Pipe Major in the band’s 135 year history.

Interested parties should contact the band secretary, Julia Kay through this webpage or the band’s Facebook page.