Disappointment at Peebles Pipe Band Contest for Tweedvale Pipe Band

Tweedvale Pipe Band’s contest season continued last Saturday 05 September with their attendance at the pipe band contests held as part of Peebles Highland Games. Held in its traditional venue of Hay Lodge Park, the Peebles Highland Games enjoyed some changeable September weather, with bright sunshine, cool breezes and scudding clouds making for a challenging set of conditions in which to set up a pipe band sound. Tweedvale took part in both the Grade 3 and Grade 2 contests, playing their medley selection in both. The band enjoyed variable fortunes in both grades, with the Grade 3 performance being by far the worst performance the band has put in this season. Grade 2 was better but still far from being in prize winning contention. When the results were announced, Tweedvale Pipe Band was been placed 6th in Grade 3. The Grade 3 contest was won by Preston Lodge High School Pipe Band. Tweedvale were also placed 6th in Grade 2 with that event being won by Torphicen and Bathgate Pipe Band. After the prize-giving ceremony was concluded, Tweedvale Pipe Band, along with several others, paraded down from Hay Lodge Park to Peebles High Street entertaining sizeable crowds that had gathered in the early evening sunshine.

Speaking about the results of the Peebles contest, Tweedvale’s Pipe Major Bruce Gillie said, “The band left its best performances in the tuning up park today. Our Grade 3 performance was particularly poor; we played about as well as Scotland played football against Georgia last night!! The Grade 2 performance was better but still not as good as I would like it to be. We have to concentrate more on our performances from beginning to end. I’m hopeful that our last competition performances of the year at Innerleithen will be much better than those at Peebles.”

Tweedvale Pipe Band has one final contest left in their schedule. The band will take part in the St Ronan’s Pipe Band Championships being held at St Ronan’s Primary School this Saturday 12 September. As at Peebles, Tweedvale will take part in the Grade 3 and 2 contests playing their medley set of the tunes “Bessie Weatherston”, “Wee Buns”, “Minnie Hynd”, “Lonely Loch Nan Eun”, “Because He Was A Bonnie Lad”, “The Wisemaiden” and “Dancing Feet”.in both. Tweedvale have also been making plans for the close season with a revamp of the band’s repertoire on the cards as well as some major fundraising in order to replace instruments and refurbish uniforms. The band is also keen to attract new members. If anyone is interested in joining a Grade 3 competition band they are invited to get in touch with the band by turning up at one of the regularly scheduled band practices, on Monday and Thursday nights in the Vale Club Innerleithen, or by surfing to the bands website at www.tweedvalepipeband.com for further information, or by getting in touch via the band’s Facebook page. All are welcome, whether experienced musician or complete beginner.

The full results of the Peebles Pipe Band Contest Grade 3 can be found here.

The full results of the Peebles Pipe Band Contest Grade 2 can be found here.

Details of the Day

Grade 3 and Grade 2 – MEDLEY – Bessie Weatherston, Wee Buns, Minnie Hynd, Lonely Loch Nan Eun, Because He Was A Bonnie Lad, The Wisemaiden, Dancing Feet.

Number of Pipers – 11.

Number of Side Drummers – 3.

Number of Bass Drummers – 1.

Number of Tenor Drummers – 1.