Watson's Juvenile Drummers crowned World Champions

Fresh from our success at the World Pipe band Championships, George Watson's College Head of Pipe Band Michael O'Neill reports on the band's successful year:

With an early start on Friday morning, our Pipes and Drums pupils travelled west to the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow where our Juvenile Band were again crowned Juvenile World Champions, retaining their title at this year's World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. The prestigious competition took place in front of a crowd from all over the world at a packed Glasgow Green, where more than 1,500 under 18s competed in a dedicated youth competition.

Our Juvenile drummers also retained their world drumming title and our Novice Juvenile A drummers won the drum corps title in their grade for a 3rd year in a row. The George Watson's College Novice A band also won 3rd prize in Novice Juvenile A.

These results are the culmination of a highly successful season which included success for all 3 school bands at the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships where our Novice Juvenile B Band, our Novice Juvenile A Band and our Juvenile Band all won 1st place in their respective grades.

Our Juvenile Band and drum corps also won the Scottish Pipe Band Championship title in late July and our Novice A band were 2nd with the drummers taking the Scottish Championship Drum Corps title. As a result of the extremely successful year the bands have had, our Juvenile Band and Drum Corps were assured the Champion of Champions title in their grade, as were the Novice A drummers.

It has been a quite brilliant season for all of our bands and I am incredibly proud of the commitment and hard work that our pupils have put in to achieve this success. Pipes and drums are part of the fabric of life at Watson's and our talented young musicians not only compete in competitions across the world but help us mark so many important days in the school calendar from sports days and first days to prizegiving, sending our leavers off into the world beyond Watson's. 

What's more, research from the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust shows a link between being part of a pipe band and improved academic attainment.

As we get ready for the new school year, I look forward to another successful season and to welcoming new pupils to the Watson's piping family.