The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association has issued a statement congratulating the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championship on the running of their recent competition.
Although not an RSPBA event, the Association has been fully supportive of the SSPBC since the outset, giving pipers and drummers from their registered bands sanction to compete with their school bands. In normal circumstances this transfer would not be permitted under RSPBA rules.
Today RSPBA Chief Executive Ian Embelton said: ‘Many of our adjudicators and officials, including my Vice Chairman John Hughes, attended the schools championship and had nothing but praise for the way it was run and for the enthusiasm of all involved. We are fully supportive of everything that they do, even though many of the bands involved are not registered with us.
‘The RSPBA supplies adjudicators for the competition and we also advertise it for free on our website. This we are happy to do and we want to encourage as many schoolchildren as possible to experience the world of pipe band competition. This can only be good for the pipe band movement.
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‘I have already written to the promoters encouraging them in what they do and telling them that the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championship has the full support of the RSPBA’s Board of Directors.’
On its website the SSPBC say: ‘The Championships – The world’s biggest schools piping competition held on the second Sunday in March in Edinburgh and open to every single school in the world. Classes for all from schools at the top of the game, to schools wanting to compete for the first time. It’s a huge celebration of our musical tradition and the talent of our young people. The thrill of competing – the friendship of fellow musicians.
‘Pupils from 111 schools across Scotland played their hearts out in a day of competition [2015] and friendship that saw George Watson’s College take top place in both senior classes Novice Juvenile and Juvenile. St Columba’s School from Kilmacolm took part for the first time – and won Junior A, Gordonstoun School build on last year’s freestyle success and took first place in Junior B and Lochalsh Junior Band triumphed in the debut section. An on form quartet from Tobermory made the journey from Mull worthwhile and retained their crown in that section.
Read all about the recent championships here. The RSPBA is the world governing body for pipe bands with affiliated associations in all countries where there are active competing bands.