Globe’s best prepping for 2025 World Solo Drumming Championships this Saturday

After a year of qualifying contests around the globe, 30 of the world’s best pipe band snare drummers will vie for the 2025 World Solo Drumming Championship on Saturday, October 18th, at Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow.

The contestants competed in seven events in the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association’s series to determine who plays in the World semi-final. The eight-contest season, culminating with the World Solos, determines the RSPBA’s Solo Drumming Champion of Champions winner.

While the marquee event of the day-long competition is the Adult (18 years and older) snare championship, the contest also features snare events for Juvenile (16 and older and younger than 18; 14 and older and younger than 16); and younger than 14), and corresponding tenor drumming events.

Of particular note is Inveraray & District Leading-Drummer and 2024 winner Steven McWhirter, who will be going for his thirteenth World Solo title, edging closer to the record of 16 championships won by Jim Kilpatrick. Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Leading-Drummer Kerr McQuillan interrupted McWhirter’s 10-year streak of World Solo victories in 2023 and was second in 2024.

Other recent prizewinners in previous World Solo Drumming Championships are Blair Brown, St. Thomas Alumni (USA); Derek Cooper, Ulster Scottish (USA); Stephen Creighton, St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland); William Glenholmes, Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland); and Jake Jørgensen, ScottishPower (Scotland).

Blair Beaton of New York will attend the event for the first time as a member of Inveraray & District after departing the 78th Fraser Highlanders following the 2025 band season.

Competing in the Adult Snare semi-final, divided into two groups of 15 with six from each group going through to the 12-contestant final (listed alphabetically by last name):

• Blair Beaton
• Douglas Bilsland, ILT City of Invercargill Highland (New Zealand)
• Richard Black, Hawthorn (Australia)
• Blair Brown
• Darren Brown, Inveraray & District (Scotland)
• Alex Buchanan, Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
• Derek Cooper
• Scott Coyle, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Glen Creighton, St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
• Stephen Creighton
• Eli Fugate, St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
• Ashley Fyffe, Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
• Lachlan Gibb, Culter & District (Scotland)
• William Glenholmes
• Aaron Jess, Ravara (Northern Ireland)
• Jake Jørgensen
• Jamie Kerr, unattached, (Northern Ireland)
• Conor Lawlor, St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
• Craig Lawrie, Uddingston (Scotland)
• Cameron Lawson, Inveraray & District (Scotland)
• Eric MacNeill, City of Dunedin (USA)
• Ewan McDonald, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Kerr McQuillan
• Steven McWhirter
• Arren McWilliams, Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)
• Daniel Mulcahy, St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
• Robbie Pate, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Edward Roxburgh, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Matthew Shaw, Ravara (Northern Ireland)
• Steven Shedden, Hawthorn (Australia)

Stuart Coils, Adrian Hoy, and Duncan Millar are the judges for Group 1, and Alex Dudgeon, Brian Martin, and Jim Baxter are the judges for Group 2.

Competing in the adult final of the World Tenor Drumming Championship (alphabetical by last name):

• Jamie Alfred, City of Dunedin (USA)
• Heather Allan, Livingston Caledonia (Scotland)
• Megan Arbuckle, Kilbarchan (Scotland)
• Jordan Bailie, Inveraray & District (Scotland)
• Jamie Blair, Ravara (Northern Ireland)
• Jonny Cousins, Ravara (Northern Ireland)
• Josh Cunningham, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Kali Currie, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Mia Goodge, Police Scotland Fife (Scotland)
• Donelsa McNeil, Denny & Dunipace (Scotland)
• Max Millichip, Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)
• Zara Pate, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Jill Watson, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)

Bailie won the 2024 World Solo Tenor Championship.

The event will be judged by Naill West, Stevie McQuillan, and Sharleen Muir.

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for results from the 2025 World Solo Drumming Championships when they are made available.