Bonar, AGandy, Cooper, Heaney enjoy Winter Storm windfall

Kansas City, Missouri – January 14, 2011 – More than 140 solo pipers and drummers competed across numerous events at the tenth annual Winter Storm competitions held at the Marriott Hotel. Gold Medal contest winners were: Piobaireachd – Andrew Bonar of Surrey, British Columbia; Light Music – Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Snare Drumming – Derek Cooper, Warminster, Pennsylvania; Bass Drumming – Andrew Elliott, Toronto; and Tenor Drumming – Kyle Heaney, Toronto. Each Gold Medal contest winner received US$750 and an instrument and other prizes.

Solo Piping
Gold Medal Piobaireachd
1st Andrew Bonar
2nd Andrew Lee, Surrey, British Columbia
3rd Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Judges: John Cairns, Alasdair Gillies, Willie McCallum

Gold Medal Light Music
1st Alex Gandy
2nd Jamie Troy, Victoria, British Columbia
3rd Alastair Lee, Coquitlam, British Columbia

Judges: Alasdair Gillies, Roddy MacLeod, Donald McBride

Silver Medal Piobaireachd
1st Doug MacRae, London, Ontario, “The End of the Great Bridge”
2nd Colin Clansey, Kingston, Ontario, “Park Piobaireachd No. 2”
3rd Elizabeth Sheridan, Oakville, Ontario, “The Battle of Strome”
4th Robbie Beaton, Scotia, New York, “Battle of Auldearn No. 1”
5th Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, “Battle of Auldearn No. 1”

Judges: Mike Cusack, Roddy MacLeod, Andrew Wright

Snare Drumming
Gold Medal
1st Derek Cooper
2nd Tano Martone, Houston, Texas
3rd Graham Brown, Milton, Ontario
4th Eric MacNeill, Schenectady, New York
5th Duncan McPherson, Sacramento
6th Bryce Parker, Henderson, Nevada

Grade 1
1st Elizabeth Shaw, Calgary
2nd Cameron Bolley, Clarkston, Michigan
3rd Gavin MacRae, Anmore, British Columbia

Grade 2
1st Logan Taylor, Pasadena
2nd Daniel Parsons, Kingston, Massachusetts
3rd Bryce Kreger, Auburn, Washington

Grade 3
1st Duncan Scott, Coquitlam, British Columbia
2nd Wesley Blevin, Louisville
3rd Michael Cronin, Huntington, New York

Judges for all snare drumming events: Jake Jorgenson, Doug Stronach

Bass Drumming
Gold Medal
1st Andrew Elliott
2nd Christina Hanks, Somers, Connecticut
3rd Audrey Stumpf, Chaska, Minnesota

Intermediate
1st Amber Bartholomeusz, San Jose
2nd Morgan Schiele, Snohomish, Washington
3rd Sean Biggar, Sunnyvale, California

Novice
1st Sheila Loucks, Eagan, Minnesota
2nd Christina McClain, Liberty Township, Ohio
3rd Kylie Mervyn, West Allis, Wisconsin

Judges for bass events: Mike Cole, Johnny Rowe, Kahlil Cappuccino

Tenor Drumming
Gold Medal
1st Kyle Heaney
2nd Owen Russell, St. Paul
3rd Sara Galvez, Concord, California

Intermediate
1st Devon Mackay, Guelph, Ontario
2nd Ryan Robertson, Stoney Creek, Ontario
3rd Amber Bartholomeusz, San Jose

Novice
1st Christina McClain
2nd Maire Cameron, Shawnee, Kansas

Judges for all tenor events: Mike O’Neil, Blake Schmidt, Stevie McQuillan