“Always have fun” – key advice from 2026 Gold Medallists Calum Brown & Sean McKeown – Part 2

We continue with the second and final part of our exclusive conversation with 2026 Highland Society of London Gold Medallists Calum Brown (Northern Meeting) and Sean McKeown (Argyllshire Gathering).

Part 1 showed a tremendous amount of commonality between the two pipers, despite the 18-year gap between the 27-year-old Brown and the 45-year-old McKeown.

More commonality: they both played “Port Urlar” to win their medals, each had the benefit of in-person, one-on-one tuition from expert teachers, and both enjoy a diversity of interests and prioritize family above all else.

Brown and McKeown’s musical prowess extends well beyond the pipes; both perform a variety of instruments with other musicians. Both have enjoyed winning World Championships – Brown with Inveraray & District; McKeown with Field Marshal Montgomery. Both have integrated piping into their professional lives – Calum Brown is an instructor at Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen; McKeown is with the Toronto Police Ceremonial Pipe Band (in addition to his important police work, which includes fighting crime undercover and protecting the likes of Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Bryan Adams).

Both are really good, kind, and thoughtful people who prioritize having fun playing the pipes and enjoying the unique piping and drumming community above everything.

We hope you enjoy and learn from Part 2 as much as we did.

A transcript of Part 2, with minor edits for written clarity.

pipes|drums: Now that you’ve both won the Highland Society of London Gold Medal, what about your desire and your objectives in piping? Obviously, the Glenfiddich is coming up, and we’ve talked about that, but do you think long term it’s going change your will to succeed, the amount of time, your priorities, or do those remain the same?

Sean McKeown: I feel like I can go out and perform in some of these events and maybe put my own personal touches on things, and enjoy it. Like I said earlier, my goal is to go out and enjoy the performance. Obviously, we’re there to compete. There’s not a ton of leeway in how much you can do, but at the same time I want to feel good about my bagpipe, my technique, and the music I’m delivering on the day. In terms of goals, it’s just to do what I can and keep enjoying it for as long as I can. And if that means winning some of these bigger events, great. And if it means I don’t, well, I’ve enjoyed everything so far. I’m in a good place either way.

pipes|drums: Calum, same sort of thoughts? How do you think, longer range, you’ll consider competitive piping?

Calum Brown: Absolutely, I’m mirroring basically what Sean said. Yeah, I honestly don’t see any difference in my perspective at all now that I’ve won it. As Murray Henderson said to me, the same thing as he said to you, at Inverness: “Now the fun starts.” And he’s absolutely right. I don’t really feel any pressure at all now. It is a different sort of pressure, now that we’ve each won Gold. I look forward to some of these invitational events like the Springbank and the Silver Chanter.

It was really funny. I was speaking to [2025 Northern Meeting Gold Medallist] Brodie Watson-Massey recently. He was up in Aberdeen a couple of days ago. But we got chatting about it, and he was like, Man, you’ve got much to look forward to” like the Springbank, Silver Chanter, the Uist & Barra, which I’ve done before, off the back of winning the light music at Oban.

But it’s something that I’m really excited for in the next year or so. When it comes to competing in the Senior Piobaireachd class next year, I don’t think there’s going to be much, if any, pressure. Once you’re there, you’re there, and you can just enjoy the tunes.

I remember speaking to [2018 Northern Meeting Gold Medallist] Peter McCalister as well after the Highlands & Islands contest this year. I was saying I was quite down about how I played that day: “I don’t know why I do this.” And he said to me, ” This is for the fun of it.” I’m however-old, and he says, “Have fun with it.” And that’s it. At the end of the day, it’s a hobby for everybody. I don’t see anybody who sees it as work. Yeah, that’s the most important thing.

pipes|drums: You’re both a model for a lot of pipers out there who are aspiring to similar greatness. What’s your advice to them to get the same sort of success from piping that you have had?

Calum Brown: That’s a very tough question. There are a lot of things I could probably say in terms of becoming a more successful solo piper, or even just becoming a solo piper in general. It depends on what you really want from doing the solos. If you enjoy it for the sake of doing it, which should be the case, then keep going. A lot of people are quite competitive, especially in their younger years.

“I always tell [students] the results are a bonus, and that’s with anything you really do. If they’re playing rugby, for example, or any sport, the prizes are a bonus. You should just enjoy the experience and the journey of getting to that stage.” – Calum Brown

I was quite competitive in my younger years when I was growing up. I would sometimes get a bit raging about certain little contests when I thought I did really well. “What went wrong?! Why did I get third or fourth?!” or something like that, and I would just have to take myself back and remember this is just a hobby at the end of the day. A lot of solo pipers, especially in the junior contests, take it seriously to the point where they’re just like, “I didn’t do that right, and I didn’t do this right,” and I’m just like, “Just chill out; it’s all good.”

I teach a lot of kids at Robert Gordon’s College, and some of them do the solos. I always tell them it’s all what happens on the day. You can’t control everything you do on the day of a competition, and I always tell them the results are a bonus, and that’s with anything you really do. If they’re playing rugby, for example, or any sport, the prizes are a bonus. You should just enjoy the experience and the journey of getting to that stage. Yeah, that’s one of the biggest bits of advice I could give.

When I was [getting instruction from] Willie McCallum in my years at university, there was one bad year at Inverness, and I was absolutely raging. I fell out with a lot of folk, and was like, I don’t want to speak to you, and then when it came to London [the Scottish Pipers Society of London competitions in November], I was focusing hard on doing what I wanted to do: get my tunes off, get all the breaks in between. Because with London’s Former Winners, MSR, it’s a different march and different strathspey and different reel. I wanted to get all the breaks, top to bottom, sorted and, obviously, know all my piobaireachds and get the pipes in. And that’s exactly what I did. I got a fourth in the Former Winners MSR, and won the piobaireachd. When you put your mind to stuff like that, and put past results behind you – every piper has their peaks and troughs.

And that’s the biggest take that I can give to younger pipers. Look at the top guys. They were never always at the top, but the hardest thing about being at the top is maintaining it. That’s one of the biggest bits of advice I could probably give to any solo piper.

pipes|drums: Sean, and words of wisdom for budding solo pipers?

Sean McKeown: Calum touched on quite a few really great things. At its core, you have to want to do it. And if you want to do it, then pursue it fully. That might look like seeking out the right mentors. I’m teaching the Durham Police Pipe Band. There’s a great youth teaching program, and I’m excited that I can influence the foundation for these kids and hopefully set them on a course similar to what I’ve had in piping. Along those lines, everybody’s path is different. Everybody’s career in piping is going to look different.

Contrast Calum winning and me winning a Gold Medal this year. Calum’s been in the Gold for a few years. I’ve been in a few years longer, and I’m a bit older – 45 now. But maybe someone can find inspiration in that, that if you love it, keep pursuing it. Eventually, good things will happen if you’re doing the right things.

“Some paths aren’t going to be linear. Don’t get frustrated if things don’t happen right away. If you want it and you’re doing the right things and you seek the right mentors, good things are going to happen. It’s rooted in passion. If you have a passion for it, certainly pursue it. – Sean McKeown

I’ve had setbacks through my career. I had a lung collapse; my solo career was going well in the amateurs, and I had a portion of my lung removed. And that took me out of piping for the better part of a year. I took solos off for quite a long time, but I was inspired to get back into it by playing for Highland dancing, then entering a contest on the field one day and having some success. That got me back into solos, and I got hooked up with a great mentor in Bill Livingstone, who gave me some great ideas and a solid foundation in piobaireachd. I developed a really good relationship that helped me find joy in competitive solo piping again.

And from there, getting into the Silver Medal, competing in some of the games over in Scotland, and then eventually into the Gold Medal, and while doing that, trying to balance a career and a family. Some paths aren’t going to be linear. Don’t get frustrated if things don’t happen right away. If you want it and you’re doing the right things and you seek the right mentors, good things are going to happen. But I feel like it’s rooted in passion. And if you have a passion for it, certainly pursue it.

I’ve said before: a life in piping, there’s really nothing like it. And the friendships and the community you get are a mix of art and sport all in one. And I really don’t think there’s anything like it. And you meet people from all kinds of walks of life; I really think it’s a worthwhile pursuit. Young people: give it your best shot.

pipes|drums: Well, that’s great advice from both of you. It’s been terrific talking to you both. Congratulations once again. And good luck coming up at Glenfiddich and in your future piping endeavours. The world will be watching, and after this especially, they’ll be cheering you on. Thanks for taking the time; we really appreciate it.

Both: Thank you very much 

Stay tuned for more features from pipes|drums, coming soon.