Tweedvale Pipe Band Performs at World Pipe Band Championships.

Tweedvale Pipe Band traveled to Glasgow last Saturday to participate in the largest pipe band contest on the planet, the World Pipe Band Championships. Held on Glasgow Green, the World’s attracted 230 bands from all across the globe to compete for the coveted title of World Champions. Tweedvale Pipe Band arrived in Glasgow just after 9.30am in order to prepare for their performance and found Glasgow pleasantly dry- the rain that had been affecting the west of Scotland had passed leaving sunny and breezy conditions, though underfoot conditions were definitely soggy. Playing ninth out of twelve bands in the Grade 3B qualifying heat 1 contest, the band put in what appeared to be a reasonably confident and controlled performance of their March, Strathspey and reel set. When the results of the qualifying heats were announced mid-afternoon, Tweedvale had unfortunately not made the 12 band final. The Grade 3B World Championship title was won by the Colmcille Pipe Band from Northern Ireland. Consultation of the summary sheets after the prize-giving ceremony showed that the band had been placed 11th and 12th by the piping judges, 12th by the drumming judge and 12th by the ensemble judge leading to last place in the qualifying heat. Tweedvale Pipe Band would like to thank BARC Coaches for providing transport to the World Championships in Glasgow.

Speaking about the outcome of the World Championships, Tweedvale Pipe Major Bruce Gillie said “It was a disappointing result on Saturday, but I was reasonably please with the performance itself. We have been away from the competition arena for a number of years and it will take us some time to get re-established as a competitive force, and we’ll have to take some disappointing result along the way while we get used to the contest discipline again. This season is about getting the band back out playing, not about winning prizes. We have three more competitions left this season and hopefully we’ll be able to put in good performances in each of them.”

Whilst Tweedvale Pipe Band’s day out at the World Championships was marked with disappointment, two of the band’s alumni had markedly better fortunes. Michael Rutherford, now a tenor drummer with rival Grade 3B band Prestonpans RBL, won the Grade 3B World title for drumming with his corps and his band took 6th place overall. Even better was the performance of Grant Munro, ex-piper with Tweedvale. Grant now plays with the Grade 1 band Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia who brought the Grade 1 World Championship title back to Scotland for the first time in 10 years. Tweedvale Pipe Band offers both players their heartiest congratulations on their fine performances at the weekend.

Tweedvale’s competition season continues this weekend when the band travels up to Edinburgh to participate in the Edinburgh Pipe Band Championships. Held at the Royal Highland Centre Ingliston, Tweedvale Pipe Band is scheduled to play 1st out of 6 bands in the Grade 3 contest, and 1st out of 8 bands in Grade 2, both grades being Medley events. The band’s medley set comprises the tunes “Bessie Weatherston”, “Wee Buns”, “Minnie Hynd”, “Lonely Loch Nan Eun”, “Because He Was A Bonnie Lad”, “The Wisemaiden” and “Dancing Feet”. Following a brief break at the end of August, two local pipe band contests at Peebles and Innerleithen follow for Tweedvale Pipe Band to round out their competition season.

MANY THANKS TO BARC COACHES FOR SUPPLYING THE COACH FOR TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE WORLD PIPE BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS.

The full results of the World Championships Grade 3B Qualifying Heat 1  can be found here.

The full results of the World Championships Grade 3B Final can be found here.

Details of the Day

Grade 3 – March Strathspey and Reel – Atholl & Breadalbane Gathering, Caledonian Canal, The Brown Haired Maiden.

Number of Pipers – 10.

Number of Side Drummers – 3.

Number of Bass Drummers – 1.

Number of Tenor Drummers – 1.