Stephanie Durie's passion for highland music and dancing will see her jet-setting to Glasgow in August for the 2019 World Pipe Band championships.
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The Lithgow local and Sydney Pipe Band Club tenor drummer has been involved in the highland scene since she was just eight years old.
"Mum teaches highland dancing, so that's how I got interested in the whole scene, it runs in the family. I've also been dancing since as soon as I could walk but now I mostly play the drums," she said.
Now 24, Stephanie said she was ready to leave Australian soil for two weeks while she ventured out with the Pipe Band Club for her second year of overseas competition.
"It's my second time going to Glasgow, it's very nerve-wracking going up against so many different people, you have all eyes on you, it also gets live streamed so there are lots of cameras in your face," she said.
Despite the nerves Stephanie said, she looked forward to the day of the championships.
"I'm looking forward to the day, not so much competing but the atmosphere, it's very enjoyable and such an eye opening experience," she said.
She also said most of the trip would be about the band but she hoped to do some sight-seeing.
"My daily routine will be wake up, band, go to sleep, repeat," she said.
Stephanie has been involved with the Sydney Pipe Band Club for three years and travels to Sydney two to four times a week for practice.
"It is very time consuming but I'm very dedicated. I go straight after work on Mondays and Thursdays and most weekends," she said.
She said it was just about being organised and she was prepared to put in the long hours and hard work because she loved it.
"I like that being in a pipe band is something different and the background of it with my family being Scottish means a lot to me, it gives me pride in doing it.
"My family are really proud of me and I also love the different experiences it offers like going overseas," she said.
Stephanie said being in a pipe band also gave her an escape from reality.
"It may seem like hard work but I love the musical side of things," she said.
She said the people made it enjoyable and she has made a lot of friends.
"Playing in a band is a team effort, it's like having a second family I spend more time with them than I do at home.
"I know so many people around the world now because of it, there's a lot of networking, you wouldn't think it'd be such a big thing outside of Scotland but it's everywhere," she said.
Stephanie will head to Glasgow from August 5 to 18 and you can see her band perform via live stream on the World Pipe Band Championships Facebook page.
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