The 14th annual pipes|drums New Year’s Honours

2015 Pipe Band of the Year

Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia

With more than two-thirds of the vote, the 2015 World Pipe Band Champions fair ran away with the vote and are, for the second consecutive year, our Pipe Band of the Year. Much has been said of Shotts’ unparalleled success, and last year saw the band make more history. In only their third season under Pipe-Major Ryan Canning, and a completely rebuilt pipe section and a top-tier drum section, Shotts & Dykehead put everything together to win the World’s in what was one of the best competitions ever. The controversial post-World’s departure of Leading-Drummer Jim Kilpatrick made Shotts by far the most newsworthy and interesting band in the world, and the group looks again to another era of rebuilding.

Panellists’ comments:

“The Shotts won the World’s before even winning a major championship. P-M Canning rebuilt a band from the bottom end of Grade 1 to the top in less than three years. He also brought along a young cohort of pipers who had never played at the level before.”

“Shotts raised their level of play substantially over the year, and started off contending for top prizes, eventually winning the World’s. First major win for the new band, first World’s in 10 years, and winning it when there were several other real contending bands.”

“We all saw it coming, but perhaps never as soon as 2015. The sky-rocketing achievement of the band winning a World’s title nearly from the ground up in a few short years makes them a worthy winner in my view.”

“Won the worlds when not a fancied horse. A great success story for Ryan Canning and his team.”

“Historic on so many levels, and not all positive. But credit where it is due.”

“World Champions. They achieved this within a remarkable period of time given the major overhaul that the band underwent since Rab Mathieson had the band.”

Also considered (alphabetical order):

• Bleary & District – a fantastic season in Grade 2, catapulting the Northern Ireland-based band to Grade 1.
• Inveraray & District – another terrific season for IDPB, narrowly missing wins at the British and World championships, all the while being what many feel is the most musically creative band in the world. “Incredible music, great results all year, very young band. Great to see the younger generation putting so much effort and time in.”
• Johnstone – their rapid ascent in Grade 2 culminated in a win at the World’s with well-stocked and talented sections. Many expect to see Johnstone hit Grade 1 in 2017.
• Simon Fraser University – a return to the World’s prize-list for the perennial contenders from Vancouver, SFU mounted a sold-out Pre-World’s concert and held one of the great charity campaigns in pipe band history, raising nearly $50,000 for cancer research.
• St. Laurence O’Toole – only a few years since the great Terry Tully handed the pipe-majorship to his son, Alen, SLOT won the Scottish Championship, gained the World Drumming title, and narrowly missed the World’s itself. “As ever, a great medley musically.”