OFFICERS
Pipe Major Brent Van Norman
Pipe Major Brent Van Norman has been playing pipes since he was 12 y.o. He learned from Tommy Livingston of the famed Scottish Piping family. He served in the US Marine Corps for 2 tours during Viet Nam, and in the US Army for service in Panama, Granada, and Desert Storm. His military career totaling 28 years. His decorations include the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for combat valor. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University. He can be credited with over 200 bagpiping students to date. He held the prior position of Officer in Charge at Culver Academies.
Pipe Sergeant Linda Van Norman
Linda holds a Bachelors Degree in Nursing from Indiana Wesleyan University. She has been a Critical Care Nurse for the past 30 years and currently works in IT for electronic healthcare documentation. She was introduced to Highland Bagpipes by her husband, and was the Pipe Sergeant for Ceol Mor Pipeband, which earned the title of Champion Supreme in the Midwest Pipe Band Association in the year 1999 in grade 5. She played with Northwest Indiana Pipes & Drums and participated in the World Pipe Band Championships for 2003. Together she and her husband teach bagpipes to the students at the Culver Academies for the past 15 years. She has attended Ohio Scottish Art School for piping for several years and has attended the North American Academy of Piping.
Student Pipe Major Kolya Sier
Student Pipe Major Kolya Sier is a senior in high school. He began playing pipes in seventh grade under the instruction of Ted Kerrn, Pipe Major for Prairie Thistle/Celtic Cross Pipes and Drums in Central Illinois. He has continued his studies for the past four years at summer sessions with the Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming, and currently receives lessons from Pipe Sergeant Ben Peterson. He was named the Midwest Pipe Band Association 2015 Champion Supreme for Grade 3 soloists and was recently promoted to Grade 2 for the 2016 season, during which he will also play as a member of Greater Midwest Pipe Band, Grade 2, with P/M Adrian Melvin. Kolya plans to continue piping in college, majoring in music performance (bagpipes) and pursuing interests in psychology, criminal justice, and Spanish.