Announcing City of Angels Pipe Band
PRESS RELEASE
ANNOUNCING “CITY OF ANGELS PIPE BAND,” A NEW BAGPIPE & DRUM BAND DEDICATED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Los Angeles, California, USA, Sunday, May 23, 2021 -- A new Scottish Bagpipe & Drum organization is breaking barriers and changing the narrative in this traditional and cultural art from.
Trevor Takahashi (he/him/his), former Pipe Major of 2018 Grade 3B World Pipe Band Champion Pasadena Scottish Pipes & Drums, announces the launch of City of Angels Pipe Band; a pipe band organization dedicated to creating a supportive space for diverse musicians within the international arena of competitive pipe bands. Leilani Lucas (they/them/theirs), former snare drummer of the 2018 Grade 3B World Pipe Band Champion Pasadena Scottish Pipes & Drums, has been appointed as the Drum Sergeant.
City of Angels Pipe Band aims to proliferate Scottish bagpipe and drum music in Greater Los Angeles by inspiring and educating diverse and underprivileged youth who wouldn’t otherwise have access or exposure to these unique art forms. Further, the band endeavors to enrich the lives of its musicians through a commitment to the development and performance-excellence of Scottish bagpipe and drum music, while providing entertainment to audiences within our local community and beyond.
“With the events of the past year, there’s no better time than now to establish a pipe band organization that engages diverse populations, provides them with education in Scottish bagpiping and drumming, develops them into talented musicians, and most importantly that sees, celebrates and empowers what makes them different in a very real and powerful way,” said City of Angels Pipe Band Pipe Major Trevor Takahashi.
“Pipe bands haven’t always looked like this - a diverse group of players and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ band leaders. We want to show that everyone of all types of backgrounds, cultures, and gender identities - there is a space for you in the traditional Scottish bagpipe and drum world.”
The newly formed pipe band hopes to start competing and performing at the start of 2022 and then work closely with local Los Angeles based educational and music non-profits to introduce more young people from all backgrounds to Scottish pipe and drum music. In the meantime, City of Angels Pipe Band is working on establishing their presence in the community and looking for individuals and businesses who are interested in supporting and partnering with a new and innovative pipe band and organization.