UBPB Member Profile - Lara McNeil

Lara’s pipe band career started when she was nine, competing as a drum major. She won many prizes, including winning the title of All England Juvenile Drum Major Champion on six consecutive years. Her passion for drumming soon took over and at age 12 she started playing the side drum as well as competing as a Drum Major with the Northampton Pipe Band (a non-competing band).

After missing the competing side of things, Lara joined the Grampian Corby band in 2000 where she enjoyed competing with them for a further 7 years. During this time both the band and the drum corps had some success, including winning the British and European Championships back to back in 2006 and in the same season the drum corps became grade 4B Champion of Champions.

In November 2007, Lara joined the University of Bedfordshire Pipe Band, grade 2 and is enjoying every minute. She also is involved with assisting the band’s Midsection as well as playing in the back line. Lara conducted a tenor drum seminar in Bideford in September 2008.

Lara’s main influences in drumming are Jim Kilpatrick MBE and on a tenor drumming front, Tyler Fry and Scott Currie.