Hawthorn making change as Warren plans return to Scotland

Hawthorn, one of Australia’s top competing bands, is dealing with a big change after Pipe-Major Kyle Warren has decided to move back to Scotland following three years in the role.

Warren has made the difficult decision to return to his homeland following the Grade 2 band’s trip to Scotland, where it competed at the World Championships where they missed making the Grade 2 Final, finishing eighth in their heat.

The band was informed about Warren’s plans just after the World’s. It is believed that Pipe-Sergeant Matt Fraser is the leading candidate to be the next pipe-major, but the role will be voted on by the band.

Under Warren the band experienced strong success in Australia, winning the 2018 Australian Championship title. Late last year Hawthorn signed the accomplished Grade 1 corps player Steven Shedden as lead-drummer following his immigration from Scotland. They also brought in famous tenor drummer Tyler Fry to play the bass at the World’s.

Hawthorn was one of Australia’s good news stories of the recent past. Along with Grade 2 Pipeband Club of Sydney, the band had been making a steady march to Grade 1 status. Australia currently does not have a Grade 1 band that competes internationally. The Grade 1 Western Australia Police of Perth holds a high standard but infrequently travels out of state, not permitted to travel for competitions outside of the country.

Warren is in the process of compiling his second collection of original music, aiming to unveil the project in mid-2020. He released his first collection, Tunez, in 2010 when he was a member of Grade 1 Field Marshal Montgomery.

Based in the Melbourne area, Hawthorn was founded in 1914.

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