Midwest a world piping/drumming hotbed with biggest Winter Storm ever

For at least a weekend in January, Kansas becomes famous for something more than barbecue, fountains and a customarily poor baseball team, as the 2012 iteration of the annual Winter Storm workshop and recitals grows to a new record participation level.

According to organizers, more than 300 pipers and drummers have registered for the January 14-15 weekend of teaching, competitions, performances and partying at the Marriott and Holiday Inn hotels in downtown Kansas City. More than 120 competitors have entered for the various events across all solo levels of piping and drumming, including prestigious Gold Medal contests for Professional-standard players.

Some 23 teaching faculty will deliver group lessons over the weekend, culminating in a Saturday night concert at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed, 900-plus-seat Community Christian Church in Kansas City, and an informal “Winter Steam” drum fanfare competition. Organizers said that the concert is on track to sell-out.

Now in its eleventh year, Winter Storm is put together by the Midwest Highland Arts Fund, a nonprofit organization run by eight volunteer board members. More than 100 volunteers will help to execute the weekend’s activities.