West Lothian teaching gig up for grabs

Gordon Bruce, the 2011 double Silver Medallist and 2017 Northern Meeting Gold Medal prize-winner, is moving on from his full-time job as Piping Instructor for West Lothian Schools in Scotland, the plum teaching position now available to the most qualified candidate.

Bruce elected to take another piping instructor role with St. Columba’s School in Kilmalcolm, Scotland, primarily in order to be closer to home in Kilwinning to be able to spend more time with his growing young family.

The West Lothian Schools system currently has more than 150 students learning pipes, with bands competing in Novice B and Juvenile grades, the latter being one of the highest-achievers in the country, fishing fourth in the grade at the 2017 World Championships.

“I will be sad leaving, as I have worked hard to set the program up,” Bruce said, “and it’s important to me that it’s passed to good hands.”

The West Lothian Schools piping and drumming teaching program is just one of many across Scotland in both public and private schools. Combined with post-secondary degrees, like the one offered jointly by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the National Piping Centre, the country has seen a surge in number of highly-trained pipers and pipe band drummers over the last 20 years.

Some of the private school piping powerhouses include Dollar Academy, Fettes College, and George Watson’s College, led by renowned pipers Matt Wilson, Callum Beaumont, Cameron Drummond and Ross Harvey, respectively.

The deadline for applicants to the West Lothian Schools position is Sunday, October 29th.