Northwest Junior Pipe Band Grade 4 members are preparing to travel to the British Columbia Pipers’ Association 75th Annual Gathering at Simon Frasier University (home of the widely known Grade 1 pipe band) to compete in Grade 4 against 4 other pipe bands, 2 adult and two youth. Keith Highlanders Pipe Band 4 A and Keith Highlanders Pipe Band 4 B, White Spot Pipe Band from Vancouver, BC, and Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band 4 from Vancouver, BC as well. The event is sure to be close, these are all talented bands we face regularly. We’re down a couple drummers due to spring break and a broken bone, but we’re ready to take the stage
There are some exciting and interesting things going on with Pipe Bands in the Northwest US/Southwest Canada, but especially in Washington and Oregon where we haven’t seen a lot of new band activity for a while. Grade 3 has some significant changes this year.
There are EIGHT bands signed up to compete in Grade 3 at the BC Indoor. This is really exciting growth and shows what amazing dedication to promoting bagpiping, Scottish Drumming, and teaching many organizations in our area have had over the last several years.
The Keith Highlanders Pipe band has continued their long history of success and growth, starting a third competitive pipe band, but this time….in Grade 3. Greg MacDonald is the KHPB Pipe Major for the full band. Acting PM for Grade 4 (A and B) is Jim McKnight, and the Acting PM for Grade 3 is Keith Paton (who will be performing at our concert Saturday April 14th). Lead Tip for the new KHPB Grade 3 band is our own lead drum instructor, Steve Roy. Congratulations to KHPB for your continued growth, success and fine music instruction program!
Portland has more good news for our region; they have a new pipe band in Grade 3: Portland Metro Pipe Band! Some of the very fine talents that were leaving the Portland area to travel to Vancouver, BC every week to perform with last year’s World Championship RMM Grade 2 pipe band have worked with other talented musicians in the Southwest Washington and Portland area to form another new competition pipe band in our region! Good luck to you!
Sir James McDonald Pipe Band joins Grade 3 this year! Last year, after a stellar competition season, the Sir James McDonald Pipe Band was promoted to Grade 3. In addition, it looks like they may be preparing to take on the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland again this year, because they’ve also entered the Juvenile class, which is a free competition with no prize money, but will help them prepare for competition in Scotland, where there are more youth pipe bands with very high levels of talent. They compete in their own class. We believe that we will compete in the Juvenile class in 2008 when we take on the Worlds.
Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band from Vancouver BC has THREE grade three bands competing this year: RMM III A, RMM III B, and RMM Alumni (started in 2002). RMM is part of the SFU Pipe Band organization, and the biggest “force to reckon with” in pipe band competitions in our area. It looks like RMM 3 may be taking on the Worlds again this year as well, because they’re also signed up for the Juvenile class competition for comments.
Greighlan Crossing Pipe Band stormed onto the scene last year, placing in the top 3 in every event that we normally compete in. They are sure to continue to improve this year.
Elliot Bay Pipe Band from Seattle is also competing.
In addition, we know Washington Scottish has a full band this year, and expect to see them at later competitions this year. That’s at least 9 bands in Grade 3 from our region!
This may be the first time there are as many or more Grade 3 bands outside of the BC, Canada area as there are in it!
Everyone is excited to see the updated Triumph Street Pipe Band compete in Grade 2!! NWJPB Alumni Jonathan Farrell joined this band, as well as many of last year’s championship RMM 2 band.
NWJPB attempted to field a Grade 5 band at the competition, but fell short by one piper. No worries, you’ll see NWJPB 5 on the field soon, at the Bellingham Highland Games, the first competition of the summer! RMM Grade 5, White Spot Grade 5, and Frazer Valley Youth will be competing at the indoor! It’s awesome to see such a large amount of beginning bands out there this year. There should be 4 Grade 5 bands at Bellingham, if this keeps up. That HAS to be good for the future of piping & Scottish drumming in our area!
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