Simon Grant has worked with Preston Lodge High School Pipe Band since 2011.
Simon’s previous teaching experience includes the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming (ASBM&HD) and Belhaven Hill School. He was Drum Major Musical Adviser to the Army Cadet Force (ACFA) and has taught at many pipe band workshops all over the world.
Simon began drumming at the age of 13. He joined the Army at the age of 16 and spent the next 10 years soldiering whilst also performing and teaching drumming all over the world, including concert tours of America, India and Australia. He spent the last 3 years in the army teaching at the ‘Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming’, teaching all levels of drumming from PDQB and RSPBA beginner to advanced level. Since leaving the army he became a musical advisor to the army cadet force and also taught at Belhaven Hill School in Dunbar. During this time, he ran a drumming tuition company ‘DrumScotland’ where he taught Skype lessons all over the world and taught drumming workshops all over the UK and Europe.
Simon is currently the principal drumming teacher for the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT) and is the drumming tutor for the Preston Lodge High School Pipe Bands. During his time there the bands have won several major championships, including twice champion of champions drum corps prizes. He also has had huge success with solo drummers as 2 of his pupils have won the world solo drumming championships under his tutelage.
Simon’s experience in grade 1 pipe bands include Clan Gregor Society, Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band and Scottish Power Pipe Band. Simon was also the leading drummer of the grade 1 Denny and Dunipace Pipe Band. He is currently the lead drummer for the City of Edinburgh Pipe Band. His vision is to bring back a top-level grade 1 band to the capital city of Scotland. Simon is the UK ambassador for DrumBrella drum covers and a sponsored artist for Rudimental Drummers who produce his ‘S.Grant’ Pipe Band Drum Sticks.