18 year old Anna Smart’s piping journey began in Scotland at seven years of age. Anna grew up in a small village in Fife, Scotland, in a sporting family with no piping history. The urge to learn the bagpipes came from a family birthday party she attended as a youngster, when a young girl playing the bagpipes had her enthralled. She knew right then this was what she wanted to do.

The first band Anna joined was the Inverkeithing High School Pipe Band at age seven. She had some invaluable lessons four times a week – both solos and band – and her love for the bagpipes flourished, along with an urge to compete. Anna began solo competing in Scotland at the age of nine before the family emigrated to New Zealand when she was 10 years old.
"I have the privilege of being nominated by my school, Orewa College, for the AIMES Award in my chosen passion which is for music, in particular bagpipes,” explained Anna in her AIMES Award application in August. "Not many people know but pipe bands and solo playing is significant in New Zealand, with 64 competing pipe bands playing at the last New Zealand National Championship. This is second only to Scotland and Ireland on the world stage. This year there are three New Zealand bands competing at the World Championship Grade 1 event and are ranked in the top twelve with the highest being placed 7th in the world. The Canterbury Caledonian.”
"If I had the honor of being rewarded through the AIMES Awards I would use this to promote piping, both solo and bands in New Zealand. I would love to continue to learn from the best in Scotland, compete and gain more experience. I am hoping to do this over the next 2-3 years travelling every year to compete in Scotland. The funding would help me to do this and hopefully be the best in the world and be able to bring that experience back to New Zealand and teach others. I have always been taught for free and would love to be able to devote time to other young people in my local area and do likewise. This is a major goal of mine as I do love teaching others."
Anna's life is all about music and bagpipes, where she competes in solo events throughout New Zealand and Internationally. In 2016 she had the privilege of being asked to play for the seven times World Champion Pipe Band, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada. This is an iconic world famous band and Orewa College allowed Anna to study whilst in Canada and learn from the best in the world. Anna then competed at the World Championships in Glasgow, placing 5th.
This year Anna was competing on the World stage once again, as a soloist in Scotland, she provided this update for us in late September. "Since applying for the awards I have returned to New Zealand after spending three months in Scotland, competing in solo bagpiping events against the best in the world. It was an amazing trip, travelling around the highland games with my grandparents. I competed in the juvenile section (Under 18) and was overall winner in seven out of 12 competitions through this time, including the prestigious Cowal Gathering. However my best achievement was qualifying for the Pipe Idol competition at the World Championships, where I was the only female who qualified for the top 16 pipers aged under 21, in the world. I then went on to win my heat and performed in the final at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow. It was an amazing experience and I eventually placed second."
Anna says she never loses sight of the people who are making this possible for me and those in the community that have assisted. "Orewa College has allowed me to travel around the world to compete and local people have helped fundraising for me to go to my first World Championships in 2014. As well as the hard work and dedication my parents have put in to allow me to do what I love. I now try to use the values I have been taught to give back to the community and help others as I have been helped. I currently teach a boy aged seven and wish to continue to teach local people in the art of bagpipes. I also play at local weddings and funerals as well as being the solo piper at the Anzac Memorial Service in Orewa. This is something I am particularly privileged to do and hope to continue this for as long as I can."
"To receive this award after being nominated by my school, Orewa College, is amazing,” said Anna after receiving the news of being the recipient of a North Harbour Club AIMES Emerging Talent Award in 2018. "I love my music and being rewarded for something so close to my heart means so much. I am really honored that I have been recognised for my achievements so far and really appreciate what the North Harbour Club has done and I am truly humbled to join the winners network. Thank you so much."

Anna Smart receives the AIMES Emerging Talent Award from the North Harbour Club – sponsored by Bellingham Wallace – including a cash grant of $7,500.