Jørgensen named new Lothian & Borders Police lead-drummer

After a search lasting less than two weeks, the Grade 1 Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band has confirmed that Jacob Jørgensen has been appointed Lead-Drummer. Jørgensen replaces Arthur Cook, who resigned from the post on September 14th after 24 years in the role.

According to Lothian & Borders Police Pipe-Major Ian Duncan, Jørgensen was his first choice. He said that there were several applicants for the position once the band made it public that they welcomed inquiries.

Jørgensen has played with the House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead Pipe Band for the last 10 years, being a part of numerous drum section championship victories under Shotts’ L-D Jim Kilpatrick. Jørgensen has competed successfully at the World Solo Drumming Championships, his best finish tenth in the adult final in 2004. He reached the adult semi-finals in both 2008 and 2009

“With Ian Duncan and [Pipe-Sergeant] Neil Hall leading the pipe corps and with Jake as Lead-Drummer, combined with a new intake of fresh talent, we are extremely positive about the future of the band over the coming seasons,” said Lothian & Borders Police Band Secretary Gordon McCreadie.

Duncan said that Jørgensen, of the applicants,  was his first choice.

The Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band is one of the world’s oldest bands and has won six World Championships since 1950, but has not come close to gaining the prize since the late-1970s. The band has had eight pipe-majors in the last 25 years, and for a period in the 1990s was relegated to Grade 2 status before returning to Grade 1 under the leadership of Colin MacLellan.

Ian Duncan, the former pipe-major of the Grade 1 Vale of Atholl Pipe Band, took over the leadership of L&B after the 2009 season after a successful stint with the now defunct Drambuie-Kirkliston Pipe Band, which was promoted to Grade 1 before disbanding.