Steel Thistle Pipes and Drums

Infobox Pipe band
name = Steel Thistle Pipes and Drums


established = Pre-2000
location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
grade = Novice Juvenile (Grade IV)
major = Patrick Regan
sergeant =
tartan = MacLean of Duart
honours = 12th place, World Pipe Band Championships: 2006
website = [http://steelthistle.patrickreganthebagpiper.com/ steelthistle.patrickreganthebagpiper.com] |

Steel Thistle Pipes and Drums is a grade four pipe band from the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band currently includes 24 pipers and drummers.

History

Founded by Pipe Major Patrick Regan, the goal of this organization is to create a local pipe band for the education of young pipers. The band has also founded a bagpipe camp run every summer as Bluebonnet School of Piping and Drumming. Each year, students from the region travel to take part in a week-long instructional session at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, which has in the past featured such notable instructors as Angus J. MacLellan and James Wark.

Over the past few years, the band has proved that it can compete with the best grade four bands in the world. It has now traveled to Scotland and placed in the top 12 on its first trip to the Novice Juvenile category of the World Pipe Band Championships. During its time in Scotland, the band competed in several competitions and took prize honors at a few of the local Scottish Highland Games, including a second place at the Callander Highland Games in Grade IV, and third place in the 'challenge-up' to Grade III.

External links

* [http://steelthistle.patrickreganthebagpiper.com/ Steel Thistle Official Website]
* [http://www.rspba.org/html/majorcontests.php?Year=2006&Contest=World%20Championships Steel Thistle Youth Pipe Band's placing at the World Championships]