LA Scots make leading-drummer change

The Los Angeles Scots Pipe Band has lengthened the list of Grade 1 bands replacing leading-drummers after appointing Andy Brubaker to the role of lead-tip. Brubaker replaces Andrew Hoinacki, who was asked to step down and who led LA Scots’ corps since 2003.

Andy Brubaker re-joins the band. He last played with LA Scots when Carl Lenny was its leading-drummer, and Brubaker actually had filled in as lead-stroke in 2003 when Lenny returned to his native Scotland to play with Shotts & Dykehead.

According to former-Pipe-Major Scott MacDonald, the band is planning to return to the World Pipe Band Championships in 2006, stating, “[Pipe-Major] Colin Armstrong has rebuilt the pipe section with many new and young [players] in the area. Andy has assembled a new corps for the upcoming season as well.”

The LA Scots Grade 4 band, which was started in 2005, also hopes to compete in Scotland next season. The band has established a formal link with St. Margaret’s of Scotland Episcopal School based in South Orange County, California, which will be create a school of piping and drumming as part of its curriculum.

Andrew Hoinacki, a native of Chicago, will not stay with LA Scots and does not plan to join any band this year. “I have talked to Andy and was asked to remain in the corps but my choice, after 21 years of band membership ranging from Grade 4 through Grade 1, is to focus on teaching, judging, and my solo career which has been left behind these past three years while I pursued band-related interests.”

The LA Scots leading-drummer change means that all three Grade 1 bands in the United States have new lead-tips in 2006. Jon Quigg of City of Washington left the L-D post.

Liza McAdam of Prince Charles stepped down as leading-drummer this fall, with Duncan MacPherson taking over.

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