Desert Skye Pipes & Drums

Andrew Hoinacki started drumming at age 6 spending his formative years in a youth band learning tenor, bass and snare. After initially serving as the junior band's bass drummer, he has been competing as a snare drummer with bands in Grade 2 and Grade 1 since age 14. His band career also includes eight years as a Leading Drummer of upper grade bands. Andrew's solo accolades at the Professional level include United States Champion, MWPBA Champion Supreme and WUSPBA Champion Supreme.

Andrew is a full time drumming educator whose well-rounded experience and down-to-earth approach have made him a sought-after instructor for all forms of pipe band drumming and band coaching. A number of his students are now active members of successful upper grade bands across the U.S., and several of his patron bands have gained regional and international achievements under his tutelage.

Andrew has served as an active adjudicator of drumming and ensemble for over a decade, a relative feat at his young age, and is currently recognized as a senior member of both the MWPBA and WUSPBA judging panels. He also serves as a guest judge throughout North America in BCPA, EUSPBA, and the PPBSO regions. As an authority within the art form, Andrew is a member of the MWPBA Music Board overseeing grading standards and adjudicator credentials.

To learn more about Andrew visit his website:

http://drumming.ar2online.com

Lorne Cousin hails from Campbeltown, Scotland and has been playing pipes since he was a little kid.  He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA and makes a living as a professional musician. 

Lorne is a pipe band instructor, private teacher, piping competition judge and a performer.  While being most known for being the piper on the Madonna Re-Invention Tour in 2005, he also plays with the Grade 1 Strathclyde Police Pipe Band at the World Championships each year. 

Lorne has a knack for creating and arranging nice musical sets for pipe band competitions.  That is why we hired him in the first place.  Turns out, he is a heck of a nice guy and one of the most "normal" professional pipers out there.  He is also incredibly handsome!  Just ask the ladies in the band.  Swooning is an understatement. 

Lorne will be spending the first half of 2012 in Scotland.  We wish him luck over there and just ask to come back soon!

Bryce began drumming at the age of 9.  In his first years he played with his local pipe band, and lead the drum corp in their first year of competition.  He then spent a season playing with The Misty Isle Pipe Band of California, the top grade 4 pipe band in the west.  They travelled to Scotland to compete in the World's Pipe Band Championship where the band placed 4^th overall in 2004.   

In 2005 Bryce took the step up to Grade 1 to play with the Los Angeles Scots Pipe Band, where he currently plays.  The LA Scots are the number one pipe band in the United States and currently number 12 in the World.  In 2007, the LA Scots drum corps placed first in the qualifying round at the worlds, a huge accomplishment for an overseas band.  Bryce's has become a vital part of the LA Scots drum corp, helping with musical arrangements and also the teaching of  the other corps members along side his friend Glenn Kvidahl.   

From 2007 to 2011, along with playing with the LA Scots, Bryce attended the St. Andrew Presbyterian College on a pipe band scholarship.  The St. Andrews pipe band is the number one college band in the United States and under the instruction of Bryce the drum corps went from struggling corps to a top ranked corps, receiving above grade level marks on many occasions.  He wrote the music for the band, including many concert sets for their full length CD.   

Bryce received his Bachelor’s of Arts in Business Administration with a Minor in Music with and emphasis on bagpipe music. 

Currently, Bryce is a professional soloist and has placed in many professional contests. He lives and works in Las Vegas as a manager of mattress retailer.   

Bryce is available for solo lessons, group lessons, band instruction, and music composition for Snare, Tenor and Bass.  Contact us for more information on learning the Scottish drum.