Aiden Fowler, a 17-year-old bagpipe player from 91原创 Township, isn鈥檛 letting COVID-19 put a pause on his pipes.
Fowler placed sixth out of 31 in the competition as well as 4th in a 2/4 march.
He鈥檚 been playing for seven and a half years since he was nine years old and currently serves as a pipe major for the White Spot Pipe Band.
The Surrey-based band has members from all across the Lower Mainland, but Fowler鈥檚 Grade 1 ranking is the highest a piper can achieve.
鈥淭he music is really something to work towards 鈥� getting better at it,鈥� Fowler said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a competitive person, and this is something that I like to do.鈥�
The Scottish ancestry runs in Fowler鈥檚 family; his mom was a Highland dancer while Fowler himself got to spend a week practising his pipes in Glasgow last year.
READ MORE: VIDEO: 91原创 pipers promote positivity by performing at hospitals
He saw a post about the world online competition on Facebook and submitted several videos of himself performing, which is what led to his impressive placings.
鈥滻 was playing everyday for weeks, which has been pretty rough on the rest of my family since we鈥檙e locked in the same house,鈥� Fowler laughed.
Though the Grade 12 student at 91原创 Secondary School plans to study criminology at Simon Fraser University in the fall, he called his pipe playing a lifetime hobby.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e pretty much locked in,鈥� he said, noting that a bagpipe career is a difficult feat to pull off. 鈥淭here鈥檚 only so much you can do.鈥�
With an influx of pipers playing around 91原创 and communities to spread local cheer during COVID-19, Fowler said the instrument is a great morale booster.
鈥淚t makes people smile and its great getting out there to play loud music,鈥� Fowler added.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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