Wikipedia

Draft:Kerr McQuillan

Kerr McQuillan
UK Pipe Band Championships 2024
Born27th June 2004
Glasgow, Scotland
NationalityBritish
Education2016-2021 Douglas Academy 2021-2024 Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
OccupationMusician
AwardsAdult World Solo Drumming Champion: 2023

Juvenile World Solo Drumming Champion: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019

Scottish Solo Drumming Champion: 2023, 2024

European Solo Drumming Champion: 2024

Intercontinental Solo Drumming Champion: 2024

World Pipe Band Champion: 2023

UK Pipe Band Champion: 2023

British Pipe Band Champion: 2024

Kerr McQuillan (born 27th June 2004) is a Scottish pipe band snare drummer from Scotland and the Leading Drummer of People's Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band.[1]

Life

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McQuillan was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 27th of June 2004. Since then, McQuillan has remained in Scotland, currently living in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire.[2]

After his initial schooling, McQuillan continued his studies on the BMus in Traditional Music course at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.[3]

From birth, McQuillan was steeped in pipe band music, due to his parents' involvement with People's Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band.[2] This meant that McQuillan has been learning the snare drum his entire life.[2]

Career

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Pipe Band

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McQuillan began his pipe band career playing the tenor drum, taught by his father, Stephen McQuillan.[4][5] However, from the age of six, McQuillan was taught the snare drum by Tom Brown MBE (the previous leading drummer of People's Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band).[5] McQuillan won 5 world tenor titles before moving full time to the snare drum where he has never looked back.[4][4][4][4][4]

In 2013, McQuillan played in his first pipe band competition with People's Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band's Novice band.[5] McQuillan was then promoted to the Grade 1 band, playing his first season in 2019 under Leading Drummer, Gordon Brown.[5]

In 2022, Gordon Brown retired after a monumental 30 years in charge.[6] McQuillan was then appointed as Leading Drummer at the age of 18, making him the youngest leading drummer at the top flight of the grade 1 in the pipe band circuit.[2] The following season, People's Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band won the UK Pipe Band Championships, as well as gaining the title of World Pipe Band Champions for the first time in their history.[1][7][7]

Solo

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McQuillan started his solo career by winning 5 World Solo Tenor Drumming competitions from 2012-2016, where he won both the tenor and snare events on the same day.[8][4]

Debuting in the adult solo circuit in 2023, McQuillan won the Scottish Solo Drumming Championships in April, and went on to win the World Solo Drumming Championships in October, making him the youngest ever winner of the title, winning on his first attempt.[9][8]

In 2024, McQuillan won the Scottish Solo Drumming Championships for the second time in a row, followed by the Intercontinental Solo Drumming Championships and the European Solo Drumming Championships.[10][11][12]

Teaching

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McQuillan currently teaches at the High School of Glasgow, who won their Junior B category at The Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships (2024), receiving their first ever drumming prize.[13][14]

Outside of school, McQuillan also offers online tuition, teaching students from all over the world. These worldwide connections have led to McQuillan leading workshops in multiple places, such as Brittany.[15]

Performing

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In addition to his pipe band accomplishments, McQuillan is a member of the Celtic rock band Drums n' Roses, which has taken him all over the world to perform in some of the most renowned venues, such as Sony Hall and Times Square.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b World Pipe Band Championships - 2023. Retrieved 2024-07-10 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  2. ^ a b c d Singh, Anita (2024-07-03). "Battle of the Bagpipes, review: Sky Arts' amiable series has plenty of puff". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  3. ^ "Kerr McQuillan". Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 2023-11-13. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "World Solo Tenor Drumming Championships". RSPBA. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  5. ^ a b c d Bathgate, Boghall (2022-08-11). "L/D Gordon Brown Retires". Peoples Ford Boghall. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  6. ^ Smillie, Liam (2022-08-17). "Respected musician retires from West Lothian pipe band after more than 30 years". Daily Record. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  7. ^ a b "Contests". RSPBA. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  8. ^ a b "World Solo Snare Drumming Championships". RSPBA. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  9. ^ "Kerr McQuillan wins Scottish Solo Drumming Championship qualifier". pipes|drums. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  10. ^ Mulhern, Colin (2024-04-02). "The RSPBA Scottish Solo Drumming Championship 2024". RSPBA. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  11. ^ Mulhern, Colin (2024-02-19). "The RSPBA Adult Solo Snare Drumming Intercontinental Championship 2024". RSPBA. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  12. ^ Mulhern, Colin (2024-04-25). "The RSPBA European Solo Snare & Tenor Drumming Championship 2024". RSPBA. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  13. ^ "Striking a Chord: 900th Anniversary Whole School Gala Concert". www.highschoolofglasgow.co.uk. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  14. ^ "Past Winners". The Championships. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  15. ^ "Stage de Caisse Claire Ecossaise". Sonerion (in French). 2024-07-20. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  16. ^ "Drums N' Roses - The Original Scottish Bagpipe Rock Band". Drums N Roses. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
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