Will has won prizes at Oban for the past 2 years, including 2nd in the B-grade march.  He won second place in the Kansas City Winter Storm Silver Medal this year.  He won the BCPA Knockout in 2007 at the age of 17, and played with Robert Malcolm Memorial Grade 3 and Grade 2 winning two juvenile World Championships and the 2006 Grade 2 World Championships. Since 2006, Will has been playing in SFU and is currently finishing a Cellular Biology Degree at Western Washington University.

Finally, thanks so much to the Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band who travelled up from Portland / Vancouver to perform a great set of tunes for us, and we learned a little bit about their short history and teaching program led by the Grade 2 Portland Metro Pipe Band musicians, and Pipe Major Mark Tomasetti.

Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March

1. Karl Stahlfeld – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Russell Prewitt
3. Katrina Jones - Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Adult Piping – 6/8 March

1. Diane Axworthy
2. Cleda Thompson – Kenmore & District Pipe Band

Adult Piping – Piboaireachd Ground & 1st Variation

1. Cleda Thompson – Kenmore & District Pipe Band
2. Diane Axworthy

Grade 4 Piping Strathspey & Reel

1. Liam Bacon – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band
2. Megan McCrea – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
3. Logan Chavez – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band

Grade 4 Piping 6/8 March

1. Megan McCrea – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Logan Chavez – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band
3. Liam Bacon – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band

Grade 3 Piping 2/4 March

1. Matthew Alger -  Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Matt Rucker – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band
3. Alistair Ramsay – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band

Grade 2 Piping March, Strathspey & Reel

1. Aaron Stone – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 2 Piping Jig

1. Aaron Stone – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 1 Piping 6/8 March

1. Alexander Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 1 Piping Hornpipe & Jig

1. Alexander Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Season Aggregate winners:

• Grade 1 Piping:  Alexander Schiele
• Grade 2 Piping Aggregate: Aaron Stone
• Grade 3 Piping Aggregate: Matthew Alger
• Grade 4 Piping Aggregate: Paul Vegors
• Adult Piping Aggregate: Diane Axworthy
• Grade 5 Piping Aggregate: Karl Stahlfeld
• Chanter Aggregate: Stuart MacDonald
• Grade 2 Drumming Aggregate: Amber Stone
• Grade 3 Drumming Aggregate: Bryce Kreger
• Grade 4 Drumming Aggregate: Morgan McCullough
• Bass Drumming Aggregate: Morgan Schiele
• Tenor Drumming Aggregate: Ali North

WPA had reduced attendance this year, and moderately increased the amount we provide to judges for their time to help us attract some of the best in the region to our events.  This meant that we were unable to provide as many scholarships as in past years, but we did believe it was important to increase the amount of the scholarship we provided to $450.00 from $250, because there are few week long camps where tuition isn’t greater than $450.00.  Thanks to several Pipe Bands for their membership, and especially the Seattle Scottish Highand Games Association for their continued support and donations to our programs, as well as the generosity of the Grace Fellowship Church, we were able to make one award this year.  Further, the generous support of the Coeur D’Alene Summer School of Piping and Drumming and Celtic Arts Foundation Winter School means three great awards for those eligible for the drawing.

• Tuition Schoarship to the Celtic Arts Foundation Winter School, donated by the Celtic Arts Foundation:
  • Katrina Jones
  • Alternate:  Morgan McCullough
• Tuition Scholarship to the Coeur D’Alene School of Piping and Drumming, Donated by the Coeur D’Alene School of Piping and Drumming
  • Morgan Schiele
  • Alternate: Matthew Alger
• Grace Fellowship Church Washington Pipers’ Association Schoarship: $450.00 to piping / drumming school of recipients’ choice, made possible through members and donors support, as well as reduced rental rates for our competitions.
  • Alexander Schiele
  • Alternate: Robert Graham

We had an improved turnout in Adult piping today with almost double our average number of pipers, and one brand new adult piper from Kenmore & District Pipe Band who started on the chanter within the last year and is practicing on bagpipes every day, a sure way to make quick progress, and an inspiration to those of us who either can’t or claim we ”can’t make the time” to practice as often as we know we should (says the author of this post who admittedly has intended to compete at each event this year, but “not practiced enough” each time).

Finally, thanks to the two competitors who came up from Portland to compete. We’ve really enjoyed having competitors from Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band at most of our events this year, and look forward to their performance around noon (between Adult piping and Grade 4 piping) at next month’s event.  There are only 4 competing youth pipe bands in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia now, but Portand Metro Youth arrived on the scene last year and have really shown great talent.  We strongly encourage you to visit our event on Saturday, May 15th. Arrive by 10:30 to make sure you won’t miss them. It’s difficult to predict the timing of our events because we allow same day registrations. 

Chanter – Slow Air - 1 competitor

1. Stuart MacDonald – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March – 5 competitors

1. Karl Stahlfield – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Peter North – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
3. Russell Prewitt

Adult Piping – 2/4 March – 5 competitors

1. Jim Hendryx – Pierce County Firefighters Pipes & Drums
2. Diane Axworthy
3. Bruce Poliak

Adult Piping – Slow Air - 5 competitors

1. Jim Hendryx – Pierce County Firefighters Pipes & Drums
2. Diane Axworthy
3. Cleda Thompson – Kenmore & District Pipe Band

Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March – 3 competitors

1. Logan Chavez – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band
2. Paul Vegors – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March – 3 competitors

1. Logan Chavez – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band
2. Paul Vegors – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 3 Piping – Jig – 2 competitors

1. Matthew Alger -  Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 3 Piping – Strathspey & Reel - 2 competitors

1. Matt Rucker – Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band

Grade 2 Piping – Jig – 1 competitor

1. Aaron Stone - Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 2 Piping – Strathspey & Reel - 1 competitor

1. Aaron Stone - Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 1 Piping – Piobaireachd - 1 competitor

1. Alexander Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 4 Side Drumming – 2/4 March – 2 competitors

1. Morgan McCullough – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Robert Graham Jr- Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 2 Side Drumming – March, Strathspey & Reel - 1 competitor

1. Amber Stone -  Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Bass Drumming – Strathspey & Reel - 1 competitor

1. Morgan Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band 

1. Stuart MacDonald – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air

1. Diego Alvarez – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Katrina Jones – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
3. Peter North – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
4. Karl Stahlfeld – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
5. Morgan Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
6. Russell Prewitt

Adult Piping – Slow Air

1. Diane Axworthy
2. Cleda Thompson – Kenmore and District Pipe Band
3. David Wilkie

Adult Piping – 6/8 March

1. Cleda Thompson – Kenmore and District Pipe Band
2. Diane Axworthy
3. David Wilkie

Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel

1. Megan McCrea – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Paul Vegors – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March

1. Paul Vegors – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Megan McCrea – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 3 Piping – 2/4 March

1. Matt Rucker – Portland Metro Youth Pipe band
2. Matthew Alger – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
3. Devon Mercurio – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 3 Piping – 6/8 March

1. Matt Rucker – Portland Metro Youth Pipe band
2. Matthew Alger – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
3. Devon Mercurio – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 2 Piping – Piobaireachd

1. Aaron Stone -  Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 1 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel

1. Alexander Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 1 Piping – Jig

1. Alexander Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 4 Snare Drumming – 4/4 March

1. Morgan McCullough – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Jackson DeVight – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 3 Snare Drumming – March, Strathspey & Reel

1. Steven Wheeler – Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band
2. Bryce Kreger – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 2 Snare Drumming – 2/4 March

1. Amber Stone – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Tenor Drumming – 2/4 March

1. Ali North – Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band

Bass Drumming – 2/4 March

1. Morgan Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Note, the Washington Pipers website got a “trojan horse” virus recently.  We believe it has been corrected, but please ensure you scan and repair your systems if you have visited the site in February.  Here’s a free Virus software program: AVG Free we’ve used with success.

Chanter – Slow Air – 2 Competitors

1. Stuart MacDonald – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Morgan Schiele – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March – 3 Competitors

1. Katrina Jones – Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Russell Prewitt
3. Karl Stahlfeld – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Adult Piping – 2/4 March – 3 Competitors

1. Diane Axworthy
2. Cleda Thompson Kenmore and District Pipe Band

Adult Piping – Slow Air – 3 Competitors

1. Cleda Thompson – Kenmore and District Pipe Band
2. Diane Axworthy
3. David Wilkie

Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd – 1 Competitor

1. Malcolm Roux – Elliott Bay Pipe Band

Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March – 2 Competitors

1. Malcolm Roux – Elliott Bay Pipe Band
2. Marcus DeVight – Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 3 Piping – Jig – 3 Competitors

1. Matthew Alger Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Saul Goodwin Northwest Junior Pipe Band
3. Eric Roux Elliott Bay Pipe Band

Grade 3 Piping – Strathspey & Reel – 3 Competitors

1. Saul Goodwin Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Matthew Alger Northwest Junior Pipe Band
3. Eric Roux Elliott Bay Pipe Band

Grade 1 Piping – 6/8 March – 1 Competitor

1. Alexander Schiele Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 1 Piping – 2/4 March – 1 Competitor

1. Alexander Schiele Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 4 Side Drumming – 6/8 March – 3 Competitors

1. Morgan McCullough Northwest Junior Pipe Band
2. Robert Graham Jr.  Northwest Junior Pipe Band
3. Grayson Parr  Northwest Junior Pipe Band