These and many more elements may Lyon College's Scottish Heritage Program unique among American colleges:

Scholarships
Lyon offers one of the strongest scholarship programs in the Scottish arts available anywhere in the nation for talented pipers, drummers, and Highland dancers who are also academically qualified to benefit from a Lyon education, permitting students who are serious about the Scottish arts to gain assistance in attending one of the South's finest liberal arts colleges, while continuing to develop their special skills. To maintain a Scottish Arts Scholarship, recipients must uphold their responsibilities as members of the Lyon College Scottish Heritage Program and remain in good standing academically.

For more information about Lyon's Scottish Arts Scholarships, contact the Office of Admission, Lyon College, P.O. Box 2317, Batesville, AR 72503.

The Music/Scottish Arts Minor
The Music/Scottish Arts Minor was designed specifically for students who wish to minor in music while putting an emphasis upon the Great Highland Bagpipe. Combining a good foundation in music theory with a special focus upon the traditions of Scottish music, including extensive instruction in Ceol Mor (also known as Piobaireachd) the classical music of the pipes, the minor offers a well-rounded program of study for the serious piper who wishes to understand both the cultural and musical contexts surrounding this special instrument.

Pipes and Drums
Through winning performances at Highland games from Houston, Texas, to Maxville, Ontario, the Lyon College Pipe Band has earned its reputation as one of the finest pipe bands in the South. This competitive group has also been highly successful in individual competitions against many of the top solo competitors in the nation.

The talented pipers and drummers who make up the Lyon College Pipe Band, many of whom are assisted by Scottish Arts Scholarships (see below), receive extensive individual and group instruction, in the traditional style, and plenty of opportunities to improve and test their skills both as soloists and as members of a first-rate pipe band.

Although the privilege of performing and competing with the band is reserved for musicians who have achieved the necessary level of competence, students don't have to be accomplished pipers or drummers to join the group. Instruction is available at all levels, from novice to open-class, and it is not unusual for a talented, hard-working beginner eventually to earn a spot in the band.

The group travels extensively each year to perform and compete. Recent destinations of Lyon pipers and dancers have included (among many others) Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Atlanta, Georgia; Alexandria, Virginia; Montreal, Quebec; Maxville, Ontario; and Glasgow, Scotland.

Highland Dancing
Some of the most talented Highland dancers in North America, including a recent U.S. champion, have worn the Lyon College tartan as members of Lyon's Scottish Heritage Program. The College offers special Scottish Arts Scholarships for talented dancers (see Scholarships below), as well as instruction at all levels, from beginner to premier, by instructors certified by the British Association of Teachers of Dancing. Students have the opportunity to prepare and sit for the B.A.T.D. exam in order to become certified teachers in their own right.

Scottish Events
In its two decades of existence, Lyon's Arkansas Scottish Festival has become one of the premier Scottish events in the south-central region of the U.S. Attracting thousands of visitors from across North America, the festival, held each year on the last full weekend in April, hosts competitions in piping, dancing, drumming, and Scottish sports, as well as a range of traditional Scottish entertainments.

Be sure to check out our Festival Website for photos and an idea of what goes on. Join us the last full weekend in April for another fantastic festival.

In October, Lyon also hosts the traditional Kirkin' o' the Tartans, in conjunction with First Presbyterian Church of Batesville.

Outreach
To encourage the preservation of our Scottish heritage in Arkansas, Lyon College staff and students offer regular courses at no cost in bagpiping, drumming, and Highland dancing to interested students and adults in a growing number of Arkansas communities. To learn more about Lyon's Scottish Heritage Outreach Program, contact the Director of the Scottish Heritage Program, Lyon College, P.O. Box 2317, Batesville, AR 72503.     jbell@lyon.edu