Award-winning piper Glenn Brown and drummer Adrian Mourdaunt gave a workshop to the Iona College Pipe Band on …

The Pipe Band sponsored Brown in the Metro Cup Highland Bagpipe Championship in Newark, N.J. In exchange, the world champion piper held a full-day workshop for the Iona College Pipe Band.

“We held the workshop so that Glenn could work in helping us build the future of the band,” Pipe Major and senior John Bertino said. “With his expertise, we were able to enhance our musical ability and knowledge about the instrument.”

Mourdaunt is the Drum Sergeant of the New York Metro Pipe Band and visited Iona from Manhattan for the day to teach alongside Brown.

Brown has won many awards including the Canadian Gold Medal for Ceol More in 2006 and more recently the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in 2009. He is also an instructor at the National Piping Centre in Glasglow, Scotland.

Mourdaunt has been drumming for over thirty years and was the World Drum Corp. Champion in 1989, 1990, 1999 and 2009. He also led his core in the New York Metro Pipe Band to a world championship in Grade 3 and the North Americans in Grade 2.

With the information given to Bertino and the rest of the pipers, the Pipe Band is looking ahead to its future. Tryouts start March 28.

“This was great publicity as we hope to attract more players for next year,” Bertino said.

The audition panel will consist of current and previous pipe majors, pipe sergeants and drum sergeants.

Elections will be held within the next two weeks to see who will be leading the pipe band for the 2015-2016 academic year.

“I look forward to working with the new pipe major during the transition period,” Bertino said.

The Pipe Band season begins with the White Plains St. Patrick’s Day parade March 14.

The Band will also be representing Iona in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York March 18.

Other upcoming shows are in Yonkers, Mamaroneck and Throgs Neck.

Bertino is entering his final season with the Pipe Band, as he will be graduating in May. He reflects on his time as a member of the team.

“It has been a privilege to play and lead the band for the past four years,” he said. “This role has developed and enhanced my musical ability as well as my interpersonal skills.”