History
The Antwerp & District Pipe Band is Belgium's leading pipe band. The band was founded in 1978, when a group of enthousistic musicians wanted to achieve a higher musical level and left the Red Hackle Pipe Band Belgium to start a competition-oriented band. In the first years of its existence the band was led by pipe major Ludo Thijssen and leading drummer Peter Vandeperre. In 1980, only two years after the foundation, the first successes came with a 4th place at one of the world's biggest pipe band championships, the Cowal Highland Gathering. As a result, the band was promoted to grade 3. In the next thirty years, the band played at a top grade 3 level.
In 1988, the band started competing with two bands (a grade 3 and a grade 4 band), to improve the musical level. Andrew Tierney led the B-band to the top of grade 4 (Nowadays it is known as the Belgian Blend Pipe Band, and was recently promoted to grade 3b). In 1990, Andrew took over from Ludo Thijssen and became pipe major of the Antwerp & District Pipe Band until 2002, leaving the band in the hands of Thomas Kerkhof. Between 1999 and 2003, the band changed its name to Mühl Pipes & Drums and wore the Rangers FC tartan. These changes were a result of a sponsorship from the German company Mühl.
In 2009, the band felt it was time for another make-over, and swapped its distinctive blue Rangers kilt for the one they still wear today: Cameron of Erracht.
In 2010, the band (under musical direction of pipe major Stephen Tierney and leading drummer Jan de Beuckelaer), achieved a second place at the British Championships in Annan, Scotland. After thirty years in grade three (and later 3A), the band was once more promoted, this time to grade 2.
Turnhout is a Belgian municipality and city located in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. In 2021, Turnhout had a total population of 45,874. The total area is 56.06 km2 (21.64 sq mi). The agglomeration, however, is much larger, accounting up to 81,473 inhabitants. Turnhout is known for its playing card industry, as it houses the head office of the world's largest manufacturer of playing cards, Cartamundi. Turnhout is also the capital of the administrative district with the same name. The Turnhout city council often promotes the city as "the capital of the Kempen area". This designation is entirely unofficial, since the Kempen area is far larger than the Turnhout district and does not form an administrative unit.
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common.
The music of Belgium is a cultural mix where Flemish Dutch-speaking and Walloon French-speaking traditions mix with those of German minorities and of immigrant communities from Democratic Republic of the Congo or other distant countries.
The Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond, widely known by its acronym VNV, was a Flemish nationalist political party active in Belgium between 1933 and 1945. It became the leading force of political collaboration in Flanders during the German occupation of Belgium in World War II. Authoritarian by inclination, the party advocated the creation of a "Greater Netherlands" (Dietsland) combining Flanders and the Netherlands.
Marching percussion instruments are instruments specially designed to be played while moving. This is achieved by attaching the drum(s) to a special harness worn by the drummer, although not all marching bands use such harnesses and instead use traditional baldrics to sling their drums.
Jan Cox was Dutch-Belgian painter who spent the largest part of his creative life in the United States and Belgium. He was born in The Hague.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band is a competitive grade one pipe band from Lisburn, Northern Ireland named in honour of Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein. The band has won the World Pipe Band Championships 12 times- making it the third most successful competing pipe band in history behind the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band and the Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band.
The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band affiliated with Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. It is led by pipe major Alan Bevan and leading drummer J. Reid Maxwell.
Alex Duthart was a Scottish drummer. He is widely regarded as having revolutionised pipe band snare drum playing.
The Toronto Police Pipe Band is a Canadian pipe band organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada directly composed of bands in grade 1 and grade 2; and 3 and 5 through its youth affiliate, Ryan Russell Memorial. The band performs at parades, festivals, ceremonies and funerals on behalf of the Toronto Police Service, and participates internationally in piping competitions.
The City of Whitehorse (CoWPB) is a grade one pipe band, based in Nunawading, Victoria, Australia. The band's previous incarnations had been successful on the Australian Pipe Band competition circuit for numerous years, and was placed 11th in the final tables of the World Pipe Band Championships in 2006. The band reformed in 2014 and was led by Pipe Major George Shepherd and Drum Sergeant Olav Goud. The band ceased operations in 2016 following the decision of Pipe Bands Australia to terminate the band's membership following a protracted period of behaviour deemed unacceptable by the association
The Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band is a pipe band from West Lothian, Scotland which formed in 1972. The band has competed in Grade 1 since being promoted to that level in 1980.
The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition held in Glasgow, Scotland. The World Pipe Band Championships as we currently know them 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. Although titled "The World Pipe Band Championship" this designation was made by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) without consulting any other Pipe Band Association. Even though bands around the world compete the vast majority of bands that enter are from the United Kingdom. For competitive bands, the title of World Champion is highly coveted, and this event is seen as the culmination of a year's worth of preparation, rehearsal and practice. There are no qualifications to enter, 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
Genre painting, a form of genre art, depicts aspects of everyday life by portraying ordinary people engaged in common activities. One common definition of a genre scene is that it shows figures to whom no identity can be attached either individually or collectively, thus distinguishing it from history paintings and portraits. A work would often be considered as a genre work even if it could be shown that the artist had used a known person—a member of his family, say—as a model. In this case it would depend on whether the work was likely to have been intended by the artist to be perceived as a portrait—sometimes a subjective question. The depictions can be realistic, imagined, or romanticized by the artist. Because of their familiar and frequently sentimental subject matter, genre paintings have often proven popular with the bourgeoisie, or middle class.
Jean-Jacques (Jack) Sels was a Belgian jazz saxophonist, arranger, and composer.
The Hamilton Police Pipe Band is a competitive pipe band based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Currently, the Hamilton Police Pipe Band consists of a competing grade 4 band, a developing grade 5 band, and a teaching program. The Hamilton Police Pipe Band has had many successful seasons under its most recent leadership of drum sergeant Sandy McKail and pipe major Trish Kirkwood. Over the last 15 years the two have led HPPB to many local and North American prizes and titles such as North American champions, Canadian champions, Transatlantic champions, Nova Scotia champions, and 1st placings in many PPBSO Highland games across Ontario.
The Kids are a Belgian punk rock band formed in 1976. They are Belgium's best known punk band and best remembered for their songs "Fascist Cops" (1978) and "There Will Be No Next Time" (1981). The band broke up in 1985 but reunited in 1996 for the soundtrack recording of the Belgian film Dief (Thief). They have been together ever since, playing concerts around the world.
Steven McWhirter is a pipe band drummer from Northern Ireland. He has won multiple World Championship titles as a solo performer and as part of band. He is the lead drummer for the Inveraray & District Pipe Band.
Invergordon Distillery Pipe Band was a pipe band associated with the Invergordon Distillery. The band was characterised by the extremely high calibre of the individual players.
Jim Kilpatrick MBE is a Scottish pipe band drummer, and leading drummer of the Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band. He has won numerous drumming titles as both a solo drummer and in pipe band competitions, enjoying his greatest competitive success with the Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band.
