VMI Pipe Band Takes Honors in Savannah
The 麻豆女演员 Institute Pipe Band won first place at the 48th annual Savannah Scottish Games and Celtic Festival, a celebration of Scottish heritage in Savannah, Georgia, May 2.
Chuck Bohannon, director of piping & drumming at the Savannah Scottish Games, reported two pipe bands competed against VMI. Charleston Pipe Band from Charleston, South Carolina, won second place; and the Savannah Pipes and Drums took third place.
In addition, there were individual competitions in which VMI cadets were victorious. For solo piping grade 5 march A competition, Ben Bowen 鈥26 won first place; Byron Rivey 鈥26, second place; David Cooper 鈥28, third place; and Roy Fullmer 鈥29, fourth place. For solo piping grade 5 march B competition, Alden Rhodes 鈥26 won first place; Xinwen Mai 鈥29, second place; Thor Alewine 鈥26, third place; and Julia Ward 鈥26, fourth place. For solo piping grade 4, William Bolay 鈥26 received fourth place. For solo snare drumming grade 5 competition, Khang Lai 鈥29 won first place; Thomas Sasso 鈥27, second place; and Harrison Sloane 鈥27, fourth place. For solo snare drumming grade 4, Connor Wolfe 鈥26 won first place. For solo tenor drumming grade 5 competition, Kira Brenaman 鈥26 won first place; and Sloan Roberts 鈥29, second place. For solo bass drum grade 5, Brenaman won first place; Erick Rymer 鈥28, third place; and Stephen Underwood 鈥29, fourth place.
Maj. Brian Donaldson, director of the VMI Pipe Band, was justifiably pleased with the band鈥檚 performance. 鈥淭here is an appropriate Gaelic word to use when describing the Pipe Band鈥檚 accomplishments in Savannah. It鈥檚 鈥榗eannas,鈥 which means to dominate. The band played extremely well, and all cadets performed their best, both in the band competition and in the solos. They all flew the flag high for VMI and proudly recited the Old Yell when the results of the competitions were announced,鈥 he shared.
Brenaman, a 1st Class cadet, came to VMI with no musical experience and is grateful to have had the opportunity to be a member of the Pipe Band. 鈥淚 learned to play the bass drum and the Scottish tenor drum, as the Pipe Band had not had a tenor drummer in over five years. We now have a growing tenor group and have had numerous opportunities to compete and perform across the East Coast. The pipe band community is truly like no other.鈥
Lai, a 4th Class cadet, has been drumming for nearly 10 years, and has played in a marching band and jazz band, but this is the first year he has played in a pipe band. 鈥淎s a 4th Class cadet, winning 1st place in the competition is a great feeling. Everyone in the Pipe Band has a great work ethic. Maj. Donaldson makes a great effort to push us beyond our limits and is very inspiring,鈥 he said.
