The World Pipe Band Championships were held on Glasgow Green yesterday. The week before had been sunny and warm, but the day of the championships saw continual light rain and leaden skies – truly dreich. That didn’t put off the pipers, who were well prepared with capes.
The competition involves 200 bands (that’s 8000 musicians) from Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, the rest of Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Brazil and Oman, among others. There are arenas covering all seven grade competitions, as well as Drum Major competition and Highland Games. And plenty of chip vans.
The best place to watch the best bands at the Grade 1 final tuning area, where the bands make their last minute preparations before entering the competition arena. They concentrate on tuning, tightening up the drumming…
…and getting tricky tunes right…
… before marching off into the competition arena.
Interestingly, Strathclyde Police band were the only band who didn’t use electronic tuners to check the tuning – instead they had two guys who listened and made careful adjustments to the drones. Now that’s serious musicianship.
Results
The Grade 1 results were…
1st Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band from Lisburn, Co. Antrim
2nd Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Vancouver
3rd Scottish Lion 78th Fraser Highlanders from Toronto
4th= The House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead
4th= Strathclyde Police Pipe Band
Field Marshall Montgomery have secured their second World Championship in two years. That makes up for us losing in the rugby.