Triumphant return from Glasgow

Alexander returned home Sunday after a whirlwind week in Glasgow providing technical support and cheering for his new team.

Alexander in the very center of the latest DTSPB Band Photo (clilck photo for larger image)
- by piper/photgrapher Liz Dunsire with help from Alanna MacRitchie, and Brianne Young

Alexander tuning bagpipes at DTSPB practice in Glasgow - photo by Tracy McClure

Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band, one of only 35 grade 1 pipe bands worldwide, for the second year in a row, managed to make it through the qualifier for the Grade One MSR and Medley Final at the World Pipe Band Championships. 18 bands competed to win only 6 spots and the opportunity to compete in the final, where only 14 competed.  This is a remarkable achievement for a band in only its second year attending the Worlds as a new team in Grade 1, and even more incredible that DTSPB has attempted and succeded in the World Championship qualifier both times they've gone to Scotand, as well as improving their placing by one notch from 13th last year to 12th this year.  The band did manage two different 10th place rankings from the piping judges as well.

St. Laurence O’Toole (a band with a 100 year history) won the day (for their first ever World Championship win), and Dowco Triumph Street are now ranked 12th in the world. Alexander played an important role playing in the circle during tuning and keeping bagpipes warmed up while David Hilder, DTSPB Pipe Major and others tuned the band, for the three different competitions on the day, as well as helping with supplies and support.

Alexander intends to continue volunteering and working with Northwest Junior Pipe Band and his current instructors Kevin Auld (light music) and Brian McKenzie (piobaireachd), but is excited about this new step in his piping experiences and thrilled by the warm welcome he's received by all the band members into a new piping family