Lanarkshire schools urged to sign up for first Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships in two years

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Organisers of the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships (SSPBC) are urging schools in Lanarkshire to sign up for this year's competition.More than 700 talented young musicians will blow up a storm as Scotland’s biggest piping and drumming contest for school pupils returns after an enforced two-year absence in March.The competition, launched to create a renaissance in Scotland’s national instrument, will see over 60 pipe bands, quartets and freestyle ensembles, gather for one of the biggest events in the bagpiping calendar.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android It was launched in 2013 as part of a nationwide drive by the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT) to revive dwindling access to the instruments across schools - despite evidence of multiple positive benefits.

Alexandra Duncan, chief executive of the SSPDT, told Lanarkshire Live : “The championships are a highlight of the year for young players who not only get a chance to perform in public, but to test themselves against their peers.

While it is a serious competition it is also a lot of fun. “Being a part of something like a pipe band can positively influence young people in so many ways.