Hundreds about to dig in to Winter Storm

The organizers of the Midwest Highland Arts Fund’s 2008 Winter Storm weekend are set for record attendance at the event, running from January 11th to 13th in Kansas City, Missouri. Now in its seventh year, the mini-festival has quickly become one of the highlights of the North American off-season.

According to organizer Henry Spangler this year’s event will again improve, particularly in the area of scheduling. The 2007 Winter Storm saw competitions and recitals running hours over time, causing some confusion. But he promises that this year will be different.

Rule changes to the Amateur Snare Drumming Championship will make it more manageable, he contends, and the piping competitions will have more tuning rooms to accommodate an ever-increasing entry. More than 30 pipers have entered for the professional light music event.

Spangler assured pipes|drums that the concert that closes the weekend will finish on time, and will be followed by the “Winter Steam” after-party. Performers at the concert include Chris Armstrong, John Cairns, Alasdair Gillies, John Fisher, Stuart Liddell, Angus MacColl, Colin MacLellan, Steven McWhirter, and Barry Wilson, who will also teach over the weekend.

In the fall of 2007, long time Winter Storm teachers Scott Currie, Tyler Fry, Jim Kilpatrick and Willie McCallum pulled out of the event, but the organizers responded quickly with a revamped lineup.

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for results from various 2008 Winter Storm competitions as they become available.

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