The sound of traditional Scottish music also filled the Mission Hall at St Matthew’s Church this afternoon as young musicians from across the region gathered for a series of piping and drumming competitions, adjudicated by Allan Craig and Conner Pratt.

The afternoon session opened at 1pm with Class 044, a competitive bagpipe jig event for performers aged 15 to 17. A strong field of entrants, many representing Strathallan School, delivered polished performances of classic pipe tunes, with several competitors opting for the well-known “The Glasgow City Police Pipers,” composed by Donald MacLeod.

Among those taking part were Rose Cave, James Soppit, Callum Bulloch and Duncan Gillies, alongside Magnus Cooper of Falkirk High School, who performed “Corkhill,” and Cameron Coupar of Blairgowrie High School, who offered a lively rendition of the traditional “Banjo Breakdown.” Other notable performances included Morla Bruce of Glenalmond College with “The Braes of Mellinish,” and Lauren Bain of Larbert High School playing “Brae Riach” by D.A. Campbell.

The competition continued with a diverse repertoire, including “The Loch Ness Monster,” “Cutting Bracken,” and “Curlew,” demonstrating both technical skill and musical expression from the young pipers. Despite the high standard across the board, the adjudicators’ final decision on the winner had not been announced at the time of reporting.

At 2:30pm, attention turned to percussion with Class 053, a tenor drum march contest. Competitors from Strathallan School and Morrison’s Academy dominated the entries, including Florence Jones, Liliyana Shrimpton and Blair Milne. The event highlighted precision, timing and flair, key elements of tenor drumming performance. As with the piping class, the result remained pending.

The final competition of the afternoon, Class 054, began at 3:20pm and featured tenor drum performances in march, strathspey and reel. Strathallan School pupils Surina Curley, Tara Convey and Anna Marshall took to the floor, showcasing rhythmic versatility across the traditional Scottish forms.