The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition held in Glasgow , Scotland .
19-545: The Victoria Police Pipe Band is a former Grade One World Pipe Band Championship -winning pipe band based in Melbourne , Australia . The band still operates today, though with reduced numbers and not competitively, after a controversial decision in 2000 to reshape it. As of today, the Victoria Police Pipe Band is the only Australian band in history to have attained the title of Grade One World Pipe Band Champion. It
38-566: A Medley event, which consists of a short selection of music chosen and arranged by the band. The band must prepare two MSR sets and two Medley sets, and then play one. This is drawn on the line. From 2019, the Grade 1 contest was adjusted so that the performances of bands on the Friday would now count. In 2024, the title is currently held by the Inveraray & District Pipe Band from Scotland. Until 2013,
57-456: A band has not secured automatic qualification - bands are required to perform in a qualifying round which takes place in the morning. The top bands at the end of the qualifying round will play in a second event in the afternoon to determine the winner. To win, Grade One bands must perform in two events, a March, Strathspey and Reel event (known as an "MSR") consisting of three pre-arranged tunes - one March, one Strathspey, and one Reel, followed by
76-456: A qualifying round on Friday, playing an MSR and a Medley. The 12 bands that qualify for the finals will then play a different MSR and Medley in Saturday's final for the championship. In 2014, the schedule was changed to hold the Grade 1 qualifying rounds on Friday, and the Grade 1 finals along with the lower grade qualifiers and finals on Saturday. In 2019, the grade one format was changed due to
95-532: A smaller contest. "Grade 1 at the World Pipe Band Championships will be a two-day event with 15 bands playing both of the MSRs and medleys, one each on separate days, with all performances counting towards the final result." Every Grade 1 band has 2 separate MSR's and Medleys and is able to choose which one they play on Friday and then must play the alternate set on Saturday. Live streaming on social media
114-519: Is Glasgow Green . There are no qualifications to enter, and bands do not have to enter or win any other competitions. The only requirement is the band is a member of the RSPBA or a Pipe Band Association recognized by the RSPBA. Normally several hundred bands will attend, traveling from all over the world. Competition starts at 9 am. Depending on the size of the grade - or in the case of Grade One, where
133-525: Is Australia's most successful pipe band, having obtained three third-place results at the Worlds in years directly prior to its win in 1998. The band has also released a number of recordings, which are internationally popular. The band was started in 1936, with generous funding from Mr W.E. McPherson (hence the McPherson tartan), by a small group of full-time police officers. For some fifty years following this, there
152-434: Is a list of some of the most successful pipe bands at the world championships. 55°51′08″N 4°14′33″W / 55.8523°N 4.2424°W / 55.8523; -4.2424 Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association ( RSPBA ) is an association aiming to oversee pipe band competition, and to promote and encourage the development of pipe band culture worldwide. It
171-674: Is also important to note that these vary slightly throughout the world. For example, in North America, many regional associations have implemented Grade Five, an entry-level Grade, intended to help bands familiarize themselves with competition and in Australia, New Zealand and Northern Ireland there is no Novice grade at all. There is also no Juvenile grade in Northern Ireland. The highly coveted Grade One title remained in Scotland until 1987, when
190-542: Is forbidden. Prizes at the Worlds are awarded in the following nine categories: In the Novice Juvenile and Juvenile categories, band members must be under the age of eighteen, with the exception of one "adult" player, often instructors, who may serve as the Pipe Major or Pipe Sergeant. The remaining categories have no age restriction, but are based on proficiency. Grade One is the highest of these categories, and Novice
209-586: Is little noted in the history of the band and it is assumed that it continued on much in the way it had, filling its ranks with police who performed part-time. However, in 1987, the band formally began its pursuit of the Worlds title. It recruited Pipe Major Nat Russell from the Royal Ulster Constabulary of Northern Ireland and received funding from the state government, with which it competed in Grade Two Australian competitions. One year later,
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#1733084994623228-481: Is the lowest. Grading and eligibility are overseen by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA), and bands must apply for downgrading or upgrading. Because of time constraints, the RSPBA uses "A" and "B" designations in Grade 3 and 4, for major competitions. By doing this, bands are grouped based on prior-years' performances, and can receive promotions within their respective grade. It
247-784: The Strathclyde Police Pipe Band (known as City of Glasgow Police Pipe Band from 1912 to 1975) winning 20 times between 1920 and 1991, and the Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band (winning 16 times). Other multiple World Champions include the Muirhead & Sons Pipe Band (8 times), the Clan MacRae Society Pipe Band (eight times), and the Edinburgh Police Pipe Band (8 times). (C) indicates Champion of Champions * indicates Best Drum Corps The following
266-768: The Canadian 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band became the first overseas band to win the award. In recent years, the title has travelled to Canada a further six times with Simon Fraser University Pipe Band , Northern Ireland 13 times with the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band , Australia with the Victoria Police Pipe Band in 1998, and the Republic of Ireland with the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band in 2010. The most successful pipe bands in this competition remain
285-568: The World Championships took place on one day in August. Since 2013 the Championships have been held over two days. For all but Grade One bands, the competition remains as it was, with each grade competing in morning qualifiers and afternoon finals on either Saturday or Sunday. For Grade One, all the bands (there will be no more automatic qualifiers for the finals) will be required to compete in
304-503: The band attained the title of Australian Grade Two Champions and achieved third place in the August World Pipe Band Championships for the same grade. This earned the band's regrading to Grade One. Buoyed by its success, Victoria Police Pipe Band spent the next decade dominating Australian competition, claiming six consecutive grade one titles locally whilst continuing to compete internationally. In 1992, 1994 and 1997
323-464: The band claimed third places at the Worlds, this time in Grade One. After some minor adjustments by then Drum Sergeant Harold Gillespie and Pipe Major Nat Russell, the Victoria Police Pipe Band was crowned World Champions at Glasgow in 1998. In October 2000, the band's competing days were over as it reformed. It now mostly performs at official functions, as well as for charities and schools. During
342-445: The course of their years as a competition pipe band, the band released a number of recordings which included: The band has also been featured on the following recordings: World Pipe Band Championship The World Pipe Band Championships have been staged since 1947, although the Grade 1 Pipe Band Competition winners at the annual Cowal Highland Gathering were recognised as World Champions as far back as 1906. The current venue
361-795: Was founded in 1930. The RSPBA sets the rules and guidelines for pipe band contests in the United Kingdom , administers the events including coordinating adjudication, logistics, and evaluation, and holds Annual General Meetings to ensure that the rules and regulations are up to date. The RSPBA also administers and coordinates the World Pipe Band Championships , held every August in Glasgow . In addition to "The World's", there are four other Major Contests - Scottish, British, European, and UK Championships. At Branch level, there are numerous contests held at Highland Games and any venue which raises
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