James Laughlin

James is the founder of The Pipe Band Drumming Inner Circle, a 7-time World Champion drummer and father to Finn. James loves the community of the drumming world and is proud to call himself a Pipe Band Drummer.

Over the past two decades, James has won 7 world championships which include 2x World Solo Drumming Championships - Juvenile Grade, 2x World Pipe Band Champion - with SFU Pipe Band and 3x World Pipe Band Drumming Champion - with the SFU drum corps.

James has been teaching Pipe Band Drumming since has early teens and has since featured as the Head of Pipe Band Drumming at St Andrews College (2006-2020) where they won the World Championships. James was also the Head of Pipe Band Drumming for Otago University. 

Sebastian Potgieter

Sebastian embarked on his pipe band journey 7 years ago during the final year of his primary school. 

Over this period, notable achievements include:

• Securing the titles of Novice Juvenile Champions and Champion of Champions in 2017.
• Rising as Juvenile Champions and Champion of Champions while serving as the lead drummer in 2018.
• Garnering the prestigious title of South African Junior Snare Drumming Champion thrice, consecutively in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
• Earning the title of South African Open Snare Drumming Champion twice, in both 2020 and 2021.

Sebastian is passionate about drumming, and we are so happy to have him on the team.

David Coleman 

Over the past 50+ years, Dave Coleman has played in four Grade 1 pipe bands, led two different Grade 2 pipe band drum corps, and instructed individual drummers at all levels. He has led bands at every grade level from Grade 5 to Grade 2, and has conducted in-person and online workshops for both individual drummers and full drum corps.

A qualified drumming judge in Atlantic Canada since 1980, he has judged solo and band competitions across Eastern Canada and in the USA, and earned formal accreditation as a Pipe Band Snare Drumming Assessor with the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board (PDQB) in Scotland in 2019.

Dave has played for many years in Atlantic Canada with the Fredericton Society of St. Andrew Pipe Band organization, and currently competes with the College of Piping Pipe Band (Grade 3) in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, under the direction of his son, Chris.

Patrick Moran

Patrick commenced his drumming journey alongside James more than 13 years ago when he was merely 9 years old. This initiation took place at The St Andrews College Pipe Band. His tenure at St Andrews unfolded in a remarkable fashion, marked by the privilege of securing over a dozen national championships and participating in three excursions to the World Pipe Band Championships. Notably, he assumed the role of lead drummer during the last of these ventures.

In addition to his accomplishments at St Andrews, Patrick has maintained a presence in Grade 1 since 2015 with the Canterbury Caledonian Pipe Band. This tenure has witnessed numerous victories in national championships and a noteworthy participation in Grade 1 at the World Pipe Band Championships in 2019.

Currently, Patrick's educational pursuit revolves around Percussion Performance and Music Business at The Berklee College of Music in Boston. While his primary focus lies in drum set, he acknowledges the enduring benefits of the foundational training he received in snare drumming. This influence permeates his daily musical endeavors.

Anticipation brims as Patrick eagerly anticipates collaborating with everyone. He aspires to inject fresh perspectives that will unveil new avenues in their drumming and musical odyssey.