More from the Worlds: Juvenile and Grade 1

Thankfully the sun shone through occasionally on the Saturday of the World Championships and we avoided rain apart from some drizzle during the morning, but in general it was rather cold and not the ideal conditions for tuning and playing. Compared to the Friday, the difference in the atmosphere within Glasgow Green was quite dramatic with the buzz from all the bands and spectators, and a gradual build-up of people…

World Pipe Band Championship: Some General Thoughts and Grade 1 Final Critique

A few reflections on the overall day before we get to individual band performances. I thought it went on a bit long and some consideration needs to be given to ways of shortening proceedings. I appreciate that to cram in hundreds of performances in a nine-hour period is a logistical nightmare and I do believe that the RSPBA did, and do, a masterful job of doing just that. This notwithstanding, the last band went…

Ballater Games Results

A very rainy day in Ballater and just after the last piobaireachd had finished and as the massed band played for the last time, the sun came out! In total, 11 played in the piobaireachd (judged by N Matheson, R Clark and D Watson) and 12 in the light music (judged by J Hamilton and A Fraser). Open Piobaireachd 1. Ross McCrindle 2. Anna Kummerlöw 3. Ben Duncan 4. Alan Clark 5….

Worlds Grade 1 Qualifiers Announced by RSPBA – Comment Added

Twelve bands have made it through to tomorrow’s final in the World Pipe Band Championships Grade 1 competition. After a full day of playing in torrential rain two sets of four judges settled on the following names. They are: Shotts & Dykehead Inveraray & District NZ Police Simon Fraser University Fife Police Spirit of Scotland Glasgow Police St Laurence O’Toole 78th Fraser Highlanders Manawatu (pictured) Field Marshal Montgomery Scottish Power…

Worlds PIpe Band Championship Grade 1 Qualifying Underway

Qualifying for the Grade 1 World Championship final is now underway on a dull, overcast Glasgow Green. Weathermen are predicting a temperature high of 57 degs. F with wind and intermittent rain. Twenty – one bands will compete playing both MSR and Medley before two teams of four judges in two different arenas. The bands and their playing times are: Grade 1 – Qualifier 1 MSR 11.00 | MED 14:30 Bleary…