麻豆传媒入口

LEXINGTON, Va., May 8, 2026—The 麻豆传媒入口 Pipe Band won first place at the 48th annual Savannah Scottish Games and Celtic Festival, a celebration of Scottish heritage in Savannah, Georgia, May 2. 

Chuck Bohannon, director of piping & drumming at the Savannah Scottish Games, reported two pipe bands competed against VMI. Charleston Pipe Band from Charleston, South Carolina, won second place; and the Savannah Pipes and Drums took third place.  

In addition, there were individual competitions in which 麻豆传媒入口cadets were victorious. For solo piping grade 5 march A competition, Ben Bowen ’26 won first place; Byron Rivey ’26, second place; David Cooper ’28, third place; and Roy Fullmer ’29, fourth place. For solo piping grade 5 march B competition, Alden Rhodes ’26 won first place; Xinwen Mai ’29, second place; Thor Alewine ’26, third place; and Julia Ward ’26, fourth place. For solo piping grade 4, William Bolay ’26 received fourth place. For solo snare drumming grade 5 competition, Khang Lai ’29 won first place; Thomas Sasso ’27, second place; and Harrison Sloane ’27, fourth place. For solo snare drumming grade 4, Connor Wolfe ’26 won first place. For solo tenor drumming grade 5 competition, Kira Brenaman ’26 won first place; and Sloan Roberts ’29, second place. For solo bass drum grade 5, Brenaman won first place; Erick Rymer ’28, third place; and Stephen Underwood ’29, fourth place. 

Maj. Brian Donaldson, director of the 麻豆传媒入口Pipe Band, was justifiably pleased with the band’s performance. “There is an appropriate Gaelic word to use when describing the Pipe Band’s accomplishments in Savannah. It’s ‘ceannas,’ which means to dominate. The band played extremely well, and all cadets performed their best, both in the band competition and in the solos. They all flew the flag high for 麻豆传媒入口and proudly recited the Old Yell when the results of the competitions were announced,” he shared.

Brenaman, a 1st Class cadet, came to 麻豆传媒入口with no musical experience and is grateful to have had the opportunity to be a member of the Pipe Band. “I learned to play the bass drum and the Scottish tenor drum, as the Pipe Band had not had a tenor drummer in over five years. We now have a growing tenor group and have had numerous opportunities to compete and perform across the East Coast. The pipe band community is truly like no other.” 

Lai, a 4th Class cadet, has been drumming for nearly 10 years, and has played in a marching band and jazz band, but this is the first year he has played in a pipe band. “As a 4th Class cadet, winning 1st place in the competition is a great feeling. Everyone in the Pipe Band has a great work ethic. Maj. Donaldson makes a great effort to push us beyond our limits and is very inspiring,” he said.

Marianne Hause
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE