Thirty talented musicians selected from across Scotland for SSPDT’s first-ever All-Girls Pipe Band
Thirty of Scotland’s most promising young pipers and drummers are preparing to take centre stage at Scottish Gas Murrayfield as part of a pioneering SSPDT All-Girls Pipe Band performing for Scotland v Australia Women’s Rugby International on Saturday, 26 September, 2026.
The Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT) launched the initiative to celebrate and showcase the growing number of talented young women involved in piping and drumming across Scotland. The response exceeded all expectations, with applications received from talented musicians across the country, making the selection process extremely competitive.
Following a challenging selection process, 30 young female musicians all under the age of 21 have now been chosen to perform at one of Scotland’s most iconic sporting venues, providing a fitting curtain-raiser to a major international fixture celebrating women’s sport.
The specially assembled band will feature pipers, snare drummers, tenor drummers and bass drummers from 18 different school communities throughout Scotland.
At the heart of the project are three outstanding young leaders — Pipe Major Eilidh MacDonald, Drum Major Morven Walker and Lead Drummer Chloe Taylor — whose vision and guidance have empowered the band and set a new benchmark for female leadership in the tradition. Female participation in piping and drumming is growing, which is excellent news, but we still have a way to go when it comes to females in leadership roles within pipe bands.
Lindsay MacKenzie, Chief Executive of SSPDT, said:
“The response to this project has been phenomenal. We knew there was incredible talent among young female pipers and drummers, but the number and quality of applications made selecting just 30 musicians incredibly difficult.”
“This performance is about far more than playing at an international sporting event. It is about showcasing the talent, commitment and dedication of young women in our piping and drumming community and giving them a platform they thoroughly deserve.”
“Performing at Murrayfield before the Scotland Women’s team take on Australia is a tremendous opportunity and a powerful statement about the growing role of women in both sport and music. We hope this is the start of something that can continue and inspire future generations of female musicians.”
The performance will create a unique link between two areas where women continue to break new ground, with young female musicians supporting elite female athletes on one of Scotland’s biggest stages.
SSPDT hopes the initiative will encourage more girls and young women to become involved in piping and drumming while highlighting the opportunities that music can provide in developing confidence, teamwork, discipline and lifelong friendships.
As excitement builds towards the event, the SSPDT All-Girls Pipe Band promises to be one of the highlights of the day, demonstrating the strength of Scotland’s next generation of female musicians and providing an inspiring spectacle for rugby supporters from both nations.
The Murrayfield performance will not only celebrate the achievements of the 30 selected musicians but also shine a spotlight on the many young women helping shape the future of piping and drumming across Scotland.
The National Piping Centre support and promote the voice of women in piping and drumming through the Maket Collective – which can be found here.