City of Chicago Pipe Band

City of Chicago Pipe Band Look good. Sound good. Have a Positive Experience. We’re the —

The City of Chicago Pipe Band is a musical ensemble of bagpipers and drummers who strive to Look Good, Sound Good, and have a Positive Experience. Both of our competing groups are currently ranked "Best in the Midwest" for the 2022 season which included winning the Grade 2 United States and MidAmerica Championship titles and the Grade 4 Midwest and MidAmerica Championship titles.

Thank you to The Chicago White Sox’s for having us in the Downtown and Southside Parades. Happy St. Paddy’s!
03/17/2025

Thank you to The Chicago White Sox’s for having us in the Downtown and Southside Parades. Happy St. Paddy’s!

We would like to thank Jameson Irish Whiskey for having us rock out their Chicago Pub Crawl! It was a blast! Happy St. P...
03/17/2025

We would like to thank Jameson Irish Whiskey for having us rock out their Chicago Pub Crawl! It was a blast! Happy St. Paddy’s.

Our youth academy will be teaching a brand new group of beginner pipers starting Thursday, October 10. The course is ope...
09/05/2024

Our youth academy will be teaching a brand new group of beginner pipers starting Thursday, October 10. The course is open to ages 8 to 16 with absolutely no musical experience necessary.

Classes will meet weekly on Thursdays from 7:00pm to 7:45pm in our development band’s rehearsal space at Irving Park Lutheran Church located in Chicago’s north side Old Irving neighborhood.

Please start by filling out the enrollment form at the link below no later than September 20. We’ll get in touch right away to provide additional details and answer any questions you may have as we assemble the student group!

https://chicagopipeband.com/learn

Please share this post with anyone you know in the Chicago area whose child or teen might be interested in becoming a bagpiper.

Our Grade 4 band earned 🥈2nd Place Overall and 🏆 Best Drum Corps in the Medley competition on Saturday. The pipe section...
09/02/2024

Our Grade 4 band earned 🥈2nd Place Overall and 🏆 Best Drum Corps in the Medley competition on Saturday. The pipe section of this group was almost entirely rebuilt over the past winter with more than half of the players being new to the band. Even the drum corps was fairly new with some never competing before June and others only having one contest under their belt last year. We’re very proud of our development team and all the work they’ve done to improve and have a Postive Experience this season!

09/01/2024

The 2024 season is officially closed! At the Wisconsin Highland Games yesterday, both of our bands took the runner up spots in their respective grades.

Our Grade 2 band had a blast with the final showing of our current medley but the prize went to Midlothian Scottish Pipe Band. Congrats are due and also appreciation for extending the season to include this last event so we could all do a bit more piping and drumming this summer.

Our Grade 4 band made some massive strides since their last outings advancing from 4th in the MSR at Milwaukee Highland Games, and 7th in Medley at the Chicago Scots Highland Games, to earning 2nd place in the Medley this weekend in Waukesha. Our drummers also won Best Drum Corps of the 7 bands in the grade this weekend!

Thanks to all the bands at every contest that provide so much motivation for us to keep working as hard as we can! Thanks to the Midwest Pipe Band Association for administrating such fantastic events year after year. Thanks also to not just all the players in our band who keep coming back to do what we do together, but also thanks to all their families who support or at least put up with the time and resources dedicated to piping and drumming.

If you’re a piper or drummer who’d like to be part of either of the bands in our organization for the 2025 season, please get in touch now via [email protected] so you’re ready to dig back in with us in about six weeks. We’re very keen to grow both bands and look forward to meeting new bandmates in October!

Meet the Band — Mike KeppelMike entered the world of pipe bands about 15 years ago. His son, Phillip, was learning bagpi...
08/19/2024

Meet the Band — Mike Keppel

Mike entered the world of pipe bands about 15 years ago. His son, Phillip, was learning bagpipes with the Tunes of Glory Pipes and Drums, and as is often the case with family members who attend rehearsals, he ended up being recruited into the group. He’s been a bass drummer ever since!

After a short stint with the Glensinnoch (“Fox Valley”) Pipe Band, Mike joined our Grade 4 band which was in need of a bass drummer for the 2016 season. Later that year our bands reorganized a bit and Mike took up the big drum of the flagship group, then in Grade 3, and has been booming in the middle of our circle ever since.

One of the things Mike said he really enjoys about pipe bands is “working as a team to create a greater, cohesive whole from all the parts.”

Speaking of creating a greater whole, Mike has been a major contributor to our band in literally bringing players to the circle. Of his six children, four have been or are bandmates! Phillip played pipes for a few seasons, Grace and Susan have both played tenor with us on and off, and Andrew is actively playing snare. Elizabeth and Anne somehow missed the band bug, but have been drivers and supporters all along. Mike’s wife, Sylvia, is one of the biggest can-do helpers the band has had especially in recent years taking on our band lunch program and always being around to lend a hand on competition and performance days.

Mike’s favorite part of being with the band has been the times traveling with his kids to and from rehearsals and other events. He also especially enjoyed our trips to the World Pipe Band Championships. In 2018, we qualified as 4th in the morning and ended up 11th overall with a 4th in drumming. Then in 2019, the band improved to 8th overall. His tenor drumming daughters were part of both trips adding to the fond memories.

Along with the importance of his musical role in the band, Mike is also a big part of building our future. Not only through supporting his kids, but also teaching and even chauffeuring their friends who’ve joined the band along the way. He said he enjoys “raising the next generation of pipers and drummers,” and we’re certainly grateful for his bandsmanship as a key musician, active band parent, and an all-around great role model of our mission creating the environment to have a Positive Experience!

Meet the Band — Steven WalshSteven is finishing his first year as a tenor drummer but has been piping since 2007. His fi...
08/05/2024

Meet the Band — Steven Walsh

Steven is finishing his first year as a tenor drummer but has been piping since 2007. His first band was the Clan Donald Pipes and Drums based in his hometown of Appleton, Wisconsin. He relocated to Madison and then joined the Madison Pipes & Drums in 2021 where he is still active as his local band. In the fall of 2023, he took the challenge to learn tenor drum from scratch and joined our Grade 2 drum corps.

It’s worth pointing out here that Steven is a full-time musician and music educator! He has been a high school band director for the past few years and will switch to directing at a middle school this fall. On top of bagpipes, and more recently tenor drum, Steven also plays clarinet, and in his own words “whatever else I’m asked to play,” with The Lake Mills City Band and the Edgewood College Band.

Steven’s favorite piping memories have been integrating bagpipes alongside concert bands or school orchestras. He fondly remembers playing pipes with the Appleton City Band, and piping with his own Lake Mills band students presenting an arrangement of Gaelic Storm songs.

While drumming has been entirely new, he does have a slightly less positive couple of memories from this season. At both of this year’s competitions where air travel was required, Steven had the worst luck with his flights. “I’ve had to hit the ground running after landing,” for Ohio Scottish Games and Celtic Festival jumping straight into a rehearsal and for Virginia International Tattoo getting straight into uniform to warm up for competition. We’re certainly hoping his second season with us has fewer of those instances, but it’s impressive for someone so new to an instrument to not only jump in and compete in his first season but to do so even after such stressful circumstances just getting there!

Asked about his favorite part of pipe bands, Steven said, “Definitely the camaraderie.” He continued, “Pipe bands really seem to be a lifestyle more than a hobby, and getting to hang out after parades, games, and performances makes all the hard work worth it.”

Meet the Band — Rich McGuireRich began piping in Northwestern Indiana with the Ceol Mor Pipe Band led by Brent Van Norma...
07/29/2024

Meet the Band — Rich McGuire

Rich began piping in Northwestern Indiana with the Ceol Mor Pipe Band led by Brent Van Norman. Life got in the way and he ended up starting over again in 2009 with the Pipes and Drums of the Lake County Indiana Sheriff's Department. With his work based in the Chicago area, Rich joined The Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald Society, Chicago Police Department where he stayed involved for several years.

Of his experience with pipe bands, Rich said, “I like the camaraderie. I like being around other bagpipers and drummers. It makes me want to be a better player.”

Wanting more from his piping, especially the opportunity to get into the competing aspect, Rich joined our Grade 4 band in November of 2019. After missing out on a few seasons during the pandemic, he was part of the band’s very successful 2022 season winning both the Midwest and MidAmerica championship titles and has continued in our ranks ever since.

Rich’s professional roles in law enforcement have brought special opportunities to present the addition of bagpipes to solemn and honorable occasions around the country. In 2010, he became the official agency piper of the Homeland Security Investigations National Honor Guard. This led to one of his favorite piping memories in which he played as es**rt to the United States Honor Flag marching onto the parade grounds at the Pentagon for National Law Enforcement Memorial Police Week.

Away from piping and work, Rich enjoys time with family and his dogs. He is also a pilot, beekeeper, and likes to bake. His newest role was becoming a grandpa just last week!

Meet the Band — Monica SchadtMonica has been drumming for a little over a year. Her brother, Josh, joined as our Grade 4...
07/15/2024

Meet the Band — Monica Schadt

Monica has been drumming for a little over a year. Her brother, Josh, joined as our Grade 4 bass drummer a few months ahead of her in January 2023, and she said, “I joined to hang out with my brother more and to try something out of my comfort zone.” She started learning tenor with no prior musical experience and quickly picked up the basics necessary to make her debut with the band during the Fourth of July parades barely 10 weeks later! She spent the rest of the summer learning as much as she could and participating with the band in performances.

After a proper offseason and even more learning, Monica made her competitive debut with our Grade 4 band at this year’s Milwaukee Highland Games. She says this is her favorite memory so far “because even though it was rainy, we were all tired, and I was super nervous, we pushed through and had a great time.” She added that it was particularly special due to the drum corps doing well (2nd of 7 bands), and also she and her brother winning the Best Midsection award even though the weather made the drums like playing “bowls of soup.”

“One of the best things about being in a pipe band is getting to wear a cute kilt!” Monica was initially interested in the band because of the colors of our tartan, but once she had joined she realized, “I love playing because everyone is so nice and even when we don’t sound amazing it’s still a whole lot of fun.”

Monica loves participating in sports, especially long distance running, swimming, and power lifting. She is also an artist and works in both traditional and digital media.

Our Grade 4 band made its season debut in early June on a very wet day in Milwaukee. It was the first competition with u...
07/11/2024

Our Grade 4 band made its season debut in early June on a very wet day in Milwaukee. It was the first competition with us for almost half the band and we got 4th of 7 bands!

Meet the Band — Kevin ForrestKevin began drumming in 2003, initially with Andrew Hoinacki as part of the Chicago Caledon...
07/09/2024

Meet the Band — Kevin Forrest

Kevin began drumming in 2003, initially with Andrew Hoinacki as part of the Chicago Caledonian Junior Band, then the next five years with James Bush performing in the earliest days of City of Chicago Pipe Band. He was strongly inspired by John Fisher at the Midwest School of Piping and Drumming camp.

After careers as a rock drummer then law enforcement, Kevin joined The Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald Society, Chicago Police Department in 2018. He says it’s “an honor and a privilege” due to the band’s purpose honoring fallen first responders and the bonds formed by members making a positive community impact through music. He remains an active member with increasing responsibilities within the band.

Rejoining City of Chicago Pipe Band in 2022 with our Grade 4 band, some of Kevin’s favorite memories were quickly made that summer becoming Midwest and MidAmerica Champions including Best Drum Corps awards at both events! He was promoted to our Grade 2 corps the same year. His inspirations today are leaders like J. Reid Maxwell (Simon Fraser University Pipe Band), Steven McWhirter (Inveraray & District Pipe Band), and Mick O’Neill (Fife Police Pipe Band).

“The music, the bond, and the positive impact this music has on people,” are Kevin’s favorite aspects of pipe band life. “It is the most beautiful music in the world. There is an energy and a shared experience that is indescribable … and some of the greatest friendships are born.” Striving for excellence and playing among brilliant musicians is a privilege which motivates him to be the best.

Kevin has enjoyed joining Gaelic Storm and The High Kings at House of Blues Chicago and frequently playing with the local rock band, Stereo Types. Music is also strong in his family. His cousin Brendan - a piper alumni of our band - still plays at parties. Kevin also remembers playing jazz with his ‘Great Grand-dad J.V.’ — an Army veteran who played trumpet until he was 92 years young.

Drumming even led him to meet his wife, Claire! They have recently welcomed their son, Declan, who he hopes might be a drummer someday. Kevin is a Stormtrooper of The 501st Legion wearing armor he built himself for hospital visits, cosplay events, movie premiers, and more.

We are actively recruiting for our 2025 season! Get started on our current music now so you’re ready for new material in...
07/07/2024

We are actively recruiting for our 2025 season! Get started on our current music now so you’re ready for new material in October.

We’re especially keen on growing the pipe sections of both our Grade 2 band and our Grade 4 band. There are also opportunities for tenors and snares in our Grade 4 drum corps.

Email [email protected] today to get connected!

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Chicago, IL

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(773) 875-6812

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