Announcing the Winning 200th Anniversary Pipe Tune

The Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew is very pleased to announce the winner of their 200th anniversary bagpipe tune competition: a 2/4 march by piper Brent Webb. 

Brent Webb began learning the bagpipes in 1998 when he was nine years old. He soon became a talented member of the Fredericton Junior Pipe Band, and gained the honour of Pipe Major, playing with the Band as they progressed in musical ability from a grade 5 to a grade 3 band. Subsequently, Brent played and competed with the senior Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew Pipe Band at both grade 2 and 1 levels. 

Brent was also highly successful as a solo competitor, culminating in 2022 as recipient of the combined Grade 3, 2, and 1 Hornpipe-Jig prize at the Antigonish Highland Games. During those same games he earned the honour of Champion Supreme for the Atlantic Region in the hornpipe-jig category. Brent's last year of competing solo was 2022 when he lost his sight, although he continued to play with the senior band until 2024. Since then Brent has devoted his talents to mentoring new bagpipe enthusiasts as a teaching member of the Fredericton Academy of Piping and Drumming.

Brent Webb's winning tune is a two part 2/4 march. "I knew how I wanted the tune to end" he explains: "Then I worked back from there to compose the opening and then middle. A march tune is very structured." Brent credits both Sandy Gordon and Eric Horncastle for providing him with invaluable guidance and mentorship, which has contributed to his growth as a piper. 

The Fredericton Society of St Andrew 200th Anniversary March will be published for posterity, and will be debuted at the 200th anniversary Feast of Saint Andrew taking place on November 30th 2025. 

Submissions are now being accepted for the Drum Score component of  the Society's Bicentennial Piping and Drumming Competion. The winning drum score will be announced at the New Brunswick Highland Games Festival in July. Deadline for submissions is June 15, 2025 and more information can be found here.

To learn more about this and other initiatives planned to mark the 200th anniversary of the Fredericotn Society of Saint Andrew, please contact us at frederictonsocietyofstandrew@gmail.com

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