Two members of the St Andrew’s College Pipe Band, Campbell Wilson (Year 12) and Montague Stamm (Year 11), pictured here with Pipe Band Director, Richard Hawke, are cementing their place among the best in New Zealand for their age group and beyond.

National and international titles for Montague

Montague Stamm (Year 11) first played the snare drum when he was just five years old, at The Scots School Albury, Australia. Fast forward to 2019, and the Year 11 student has recently achieved an incredible double, as winner of the inaugural Australian Young Drummer of the Year 2019 competition in May, and winning the New Zealand Young Drummer of the Year 2019 title the following month, following stellar performances of Balmoral Highlanders, Susan McLeod and Brown Haired Maid.

Montague is Australian and came to St Andrew’s College on a Pipe Band Scholarship in 2017. He is now the leading drummer in the Pipe Band and has been instrumental in its national championship winning results and second place at last year’s World Championships.

Montague says he was ‘shocked and incredibly happy’ to win the Australian competition, for which he was awarded a $1500 AUD travel voucher. He plans to use the voucher to travel to Scotland in October to compete at the World Solo Drumming Championships, and to purchase a new Andante drum.

He says it is ‘awesome’ to be part of the Pipe Band at St Andrew’s and is looking forward to this year’s World Championships. “We have great tutors and committed and hardworking band members. The relationships and skills we learn in the Pipe Band are like no other team.”

Campbell pipes his way to glory

Piper, Campbell Wilson (Year 12) made history in April, when he became the youngest ever winner of the New Zealand Gold Medal for Piobaireachd, held in conjunction with the Hawke’s Bay Highland Games. “This was an outstanding achievement as he was competing against pipers with significantly more experience performing at this highest level,” says Pipe Band Director, Richard Hawke.

Campbell’s promise was recognised in 2018, when he won the inaugural New Zealand Young Piper of the Year Competition. Since then he has gone from strength to strength.

Among his many other great results this year has been a fourth place in the prestigious Piobaireachd Targe event in Palmerston North against some of the best solo pipers in New Zealand. He also finished in second place at the South Island Championship Open Strathspey and Reel event, where he was pipped at the post by his father, Greg Wilson, also an accomplished piper. The fact that father and son finished at the top of a field of 60 bagpipers highlights just how much piping is in Campbell’s blood. At this event, he also did well in the U21 grade, winning the 2/4 March and Strathspey/Reel.