Some of the founding members of the Graham Highlanders at the St Johnsbury Athenaeum

The Graham Highlanders Pipe Band had its beginnings in November of 1998. Former Headmaster, Bernier Mayo, and Faculty Member Emeritus, Graham Newell, provided the encouragement for such a group. ESL Faculty member, Dale Hinchey agreed to head up the program. The band was chatered with the intention to be of service to the school community, the Caledonia County region at large, and to educate youth in traditional Celtic performing arts. The academic and extra-curricular program represents the only such high school based Celtic Arts initiative in New England.

The band wears the Graham of Montrose tartan in honor of Mr. Graham Newell, a third generation descendant of the Grahams, who immigrated to the town of Peacham, VT in the early 19th century. The band has received written permission from the Clan Graham Society of North America to wear the Clan Graham armorial device on their glengarries (ceremonial caps).

In November of 1999 the band was fortunate to gain the continuous services of a professional piping tutor, Derek Davidson of Bethlehem, NH. Mr. Davidson’s involvement has allowed band members to train in a classic style of highland bagpiping and bandsmenship, which can prepare them for competitive piping. He has been playing the pipes for over 36 years. Concurrently, the band gained regular highland drumming instruction from Andrew Adams of Hanover, NH. Mr. Adams has been studying drumming for over 14 years. In 2003, an instructional program in Scottish highland dancing was initiated by Heather Morris-Lanzetta of Burlington, VT. Ms. Lanzetta has been dancing for over 22 years.

Since its formation, the band has performed at hundreds of public and private functions, primarily within the New England area. The band also competes on a regular basis at several highland games. In the Fall of 2002, the band was formally invited to play at Atlanta, Georgia's Stone Mountain Games. The presiding Clan Chief for those games was Clan Graham's Duke of Montrose, a peer of the United Kingdom and hereditary member of the House of Lords. In 2005, the Graham Highlanders were invited to play at the Montrose Highland Games in Montrose, Scotland. They also competed at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. The individuals in the band also compete regularly.