Graham Highlanders Pipe Band

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The Graham Highlanders are a pipe band based out of St Johnsbury Academy, St. Johnsbury, Vermont. They have competed in numerous prestigious piping competitions including the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow Scotland. Although the band consists mainly of high school students, in 2002 they were 11th in the EUSPBA's ranking of grade V pipe bands.

[edit] Band history

The Graham Highlanders Pipe Band had its beginnings in November of 1998 at St Johnsbury Academy. Former Headmaster, Bernier Mayo, and Faculty Member Emeritus, Graham Newell, provided the encouragement for such a group. ESL Faculty member, Dale Hinchey agreed to head up the program. The band was chatered with the intention to be of service to the school community, the Caledonia County region at large, and to educate youth in traditional Celtic performing arts. The academic and extra-curricular program represents the only such high school based Celtic Arts initiative in New England.

The band wears the Graham of Montrose tartan in honor of Mr. Newell, a third generation descendant of the Grahams, who immigrated to the town of Peacham, VT in the early 19th century. The band has received written permission from the Clan Graham Society of North America to wear the Clan Graham armorial device on their glengarries (ceremonial caps).

In November of 1999 the band was fortunate to gain the continuous services of a professional piping tutor, Derek Davidson of Bethlehem, NH. Mr. Davidson’s involvement has allowed band members to train in a classic style of highland bagpiping and bandsmenship, which can prepare them for competitive piping. He has been playing the pipes for over 36 years. Concurrently, the band gained regular highland drumming instruction from Andrew Adams of Hanover, NH. Mr. Adams has been studying drumming for approximately 14 years. In 2003, an instructional program in Scottish highland dancing was initiated by Heather Lanzetta of Burlington, VT. Ms. Lanzetta has been dancing for over 22 years.

Since its formation, the band has performed at hundreds of public and private functions, primarily within the New England area. The band also competes on a regular basis at several highland games. In the Fall of 2002, the band was formally invited to play at Atlanta, Georgia's Stone Mountain Games. The presiding Clan Chief for those games was Clan Graham's Duke of Montrose, a peer of the United Kingdom and hereditary member of the House of Lords. Through dedicated work and practice, they secured first place in the Grade V contest, placing ahead of 14 other, predominantly adult, bands. The band returned to the competition arena in the Summer of 2004 and secured a third place finish at Glasgow Lands Highland Games (Northampton, MA), a second place finish at the Maine Highland Games (New Brunswick, ME), and a second at the New England Pipe Band Championships/New Hampshire Highland Games (Hopkinton, NH). In the Spring of 2005, the band yet again attained first place at the Manchester Indoor Games (Manchester, NH) Individual members of the band also compete on a regular basis and consistently place in solo piping, drumming and highland dancing events.