Loch Norman Pipe Band

pipeband in charlotte new carolina

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The Loch Norman Pipe Band is a Grade IV & V band based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 1996 Pipe Major Ed Krintz and his wife, Timmy Hord, initiated a pipe band for the Charlotte/Mecklenburg area to fill the void left by the disbanding of the Charlotte Caledonian Pipe Band in 1990. With permission from the Catawba Valley Scottish Society the new band was christened the Loch Norman Pipe Band. The Loch Norman Pipe Band serves as the host band for the Rural Hill Scottish Festival and Loch Norman Highland Games held in April at Rural Hill Farms.

The LNPB won its first ever competition at the Loch Norman Games in 1997. By the end of the 1998 season the band was upgraded from Grade V to Grade IV by the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association. Success continued as the band finished in the top ten by the end of the 1999 season. The 2000 season saw the band finish first or second in all but one competition. For the 2001 season the band did finish first or second in every competition entered.

The success enjoyed by the band the previous two years was rewarded in 2002 when the band was again upgraded, this time to Grade III. The band, at the same time, recognized that there was a need to add and train musicians if the band was going to continue to succeed. In 2002 a Grade V band was added. At this time both bands saw much success in competition finishing the season ranked among the top 10.

Today, the LNPB is a Grade IV band and is also involved in many public and private performances each year. These include graduations, parades, festivals, openings and other such events. The diligent practice and dedication of its members has made the band a unique asset to the Community. With the exception of a grant from the Town of Huntersville, the band is supported solely by donations from its performances.

In April of 2008 P/M Krintz stepped down as leader of the band. His years of dedication have been greatly appreciated. The band was led by P/M Andrea Jones for many years thereafter and thrived under her leadership. The band was under the direction of P/M Alastair Martin and D/S Allison Dean from 2018-2021 and had success competing. Alastair Martin stepped down as P/M at the end of 2021 and is continuing to compete with the Grade 1 City of Dunedin Pipe Band and compete in solos in grade 1. The current P/M is Jay Close with D/S Allison Dean. Jay Close comes with much piping experience and we are very excited to have him as a leader.

The band is proud to wear the Davidson Tartan!