FARMINGTON – Once Scott Walmer heard the sound of bagpipe music, he knew it was the instrument for him.

Five years later, it’s beyond an obsession.

It’s not unusual for him to be driving down the road with his fingers piping out music on the steering wheel as he practices or composes music in his mind.

“I’ve always got a bagpipe tune in my head,” says Walmer, 19, of Farmington.

And a couple thousand tunes memorized.

The bagpipe is a unique instrument, he said, that matches his temperament.

“As soon as I heard it, I knew I was born to play it,” Walmer said. “It was just something about the instrument. The bagpipe fit my personality. … If you’re in a good mood, you can play it. If you’re in a bad mood, you can play it. It’s really meditative. It’s really rewarding.”

Walmer left Thursday to compete with his band in the North America Pipe Band Championships on Saturday in Maxville, Ontario. He has several more competitions this summer, including one Aug. 1.

He’s a member of the the Tulach Ard Pipe Band in Boston. He was tapped to audition for it while a senior at Mt. Blue High School.

The band, which plays Celtic music, has some of the top piping and drumming talent from around the Northeast. It competes and plays during parades, concerts and competitions, according to its Web site, www.tulachard.org.

Walmer competes as both a soloist and with the 23-member band.

It’s the only Grade 2 pipe band in New England, Walmer said. Grade 1 is the highest level of playing before becoming a professional.

Walmer is 99 percent confident the band will compete next year in the world championships in Scotland.

His goals “are to become a professional soloist and to win the world championship with my band so we can be Grade 1.”

And he’d like to leave a lasting impact on Maine with the pipes. “I want to teach a bunch of kids who can be better than I am and spread the Scottish culture.”

He gives bagpiping lessons in Boston and has a few students in Maine.

He wants to be a role model for aspiring bagpipers, he said, but a nice medical career wouldn’t hurt either.

Walmer earned a 4.0 grade point average both semesters his first year at the University of New England, where he’s enrolled in an accelerated premedical program. Although Walmer practices his bagpipe for hours at a time, his practice time is limited at college.

He’s a familiar figure around Farmington, on his porch on Main Street or at the gazebo downtown as he practices. People in town stop to listen to the lilting sound. He drives to Boston for band rehearsals a couple of times a week.

“I was really fortunate to be a part of this band, and if I can make the sacrifices, it’s worth it. … To win a world pipe band competition, you have to be at the right place at the right time.”

Walmer said playing with the band has pushed him to challenge his ability. He was upgraded from a Grade 3 player to Grade 2 this year.

“I think I have a lot of natural talent that I have been blessed with, but I put in long hours and worked hard and made it my life for the last five years.”