Alisdair McLaren Announced as New Head of Pipe Band

We are pleased to announce that Mr Alisdair McLaren will be the new Head of Pipe Band and will commence in Term 4.

Alisdair’s love of the bagpipes began at Trinity College in Perth, where he was Pipe Major in his final year of school. He spent 10 years playing with the Western Australian Police Pipe Band in Australia and touring internationally before being invited to compete as a guest with the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band in Scotland.

After moving to Glasgow in 2007, he became a member of the National Piping Centre and in 2011 became the first ever West Australian to win the World Pipe Band Championships as part of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band.

In January 2020, he stepped down from his post as the Pipe Major of the Glasgow Police Pipe Band and the director of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland to return to Australia and has been the Pipe Major of the Western Australian Police Pipe Band since his return.

As well as several World Championships, European Championships, British Championships, All Ireland Championships, and Grand Slam wins with the various Pipe Bands he has played with, his solo piping has included:

• Lone Piper at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
• Lone Piper at the Musikfest Der Bundeswehr Military Tattoo
• Lone Piper at the Belfast International Tattoo
• Piper for HRH Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace
• Piper for HRH Prince (now King) Charles and the Duke of Rothesay at Dumfries House

He is a keen triathlete, endurance athlete, and coach.

We look forward to welcoming Mr McLaren to PLC Perth in Term 4.