The great Highland bagpipe is a type of bagpipe native to Scotland, and the Scottish analogue to the great Irish warpipes. It has acquired widespread recognition through its usage in the British military and in pipe bands throughout the world.
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.
Highland games is a competitive strength sport with events held in spring and summer in Scotland and several other countries with a large Scottish diaspora as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain aspects of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the heavy events, especially the stone put, Scottish hammer throw, weight throw, weight over bar, caber toss, keg toss and sheaf toss. While centred on competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Gaelic cultures.
The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming is a British Army training establishment that provides instruction on Scottish pipe band music to military pipers and drummers.
St. Andrew's College (SAC) is an independent boarding and day school founded in 1899 and located in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is a university-preparatory school for boys in grades 5 to 12, with a focus on academic achievement, athletics, and leadership development. It is accredited by the Canadian Educational Standards Institute and is affiliated with other associations, including CAIS, CASE, NAIS and the International Boys' Schools Coalition (IBSC). The school's coat of arms was registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on August 15, 2006.
Jori Lance Chisholm is an American professional bagpipe player and teacher who lives in Seattle, Washington. Chisholm is a successful solo competitor winning the United States Gold Medal four times and has placed in the top three in Scotland's Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal competition. He played with the six-time Grade One World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band and was a featured solo performer for the band on multiple occasions. Chisholm has performed in front of sold-out audiences with The Chieftains and with ex-Grateful Dead rocker Bob Weir and his band Ratdog, and has been featured as a soloist or band member on over 20 recordings. His debut solo album Bagpipe Revolution was nominated for Album of the Year by Pipes|Drums magazine. He writes the "Sound Technique" column for the National Piping Centre’s bi-monthly Piping Today Magazine. The New York Times featured Chisholm's online teaching program, BagpipeLessons.com, and described him as a "top-tier teacher" in a front-page story about the growth of Skype music lessons. A cover story in American Profile Magazine named Chisholm one of the "world's elite pipers."
The Toronto Police Pipe Band is a Canadian pipe band organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada directly composed of a band in grade 2; 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.
This article defines a number of terms that are exclusive, or whose meaning is exclusive, to piping and pipers.
The 78th Highlanders Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band formed in 1983 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They work in conjunction with a re-enactor troop for the 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot, the regiment that spent almost three years stationed at Citadel Hill (1869-1871).
The Scots School Albury is an independent, K–12, co-educational day and boarding School, located in Albury, New South Wales, Australia. It draws students from the local area and other parts of Australia. It is associated with the Uniting Church in Australia but is not managed or governed by the Church.
The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition held in Glasgow, Scotland.
Charles Davidson Dunbar, DCM was the first pipe major to be commissioned as a pipe officer in Britain and the British Empire. He emigrated from Scotland to Canada, where he came to be called "Canada's greatest military piper".
Stuart Liddell MBE is a Scottish bagpipe player, playing Great Highland bagpipe. As well as competing in solo competitions, he is the Pipe major of the Inveraray and District Pipe Band.
The Regimental Pipes and Drums of The Calgary Highlanders is an authorized volunteer pipe band associated with The Calgary Highlanders of the Canadian Forces. For many years, the band was a bona fide, and separate, military unit unto itself, with a separate Unit Identification Code within the CF. Today, the band has been reduced to volunteer status but officially maintains an establishment of eight paid military musicians on its rolls. The band has had mixed success in competitions, but under the direction of Pipe Major Michael Giles had become successful in the Grade Three circuit in Alberta in the years leading up to the regimental centennial in 2010. The band published a recording to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Regiment in 1990, titled Eighty Years of Glory and commemorated its centennial in 2010 by releasing a second CD entitled Onward.
Canadian military bands are a group of personnel in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) that performs musical duties for military functions. Military bands form a part of the Music Branch of the CAF, composed of six full-time professional Regular Force bands, 15 Regular Force voluntary bands, and 53 part-time reserve force bands. Bands of the Music Branch are often badged with the unit or Canadian Forces base insignia that they support.
Chris Apps is a bagpiper and reed-maker.
Alasdair Gillies was a Scottish bagpiper and tutor, and one of the most successful competitive solo players of all time.
The Pipe Band Club is a competitive pipe band located in Sydney, Australia. The band is currently in Grade 2, and occasionally competes in Grade 1 (open) contests in addition to its own grade. It is the leading pipe band in NSW and has consistently held the state championship title every year since inauguration.
The Brazilian Marine Pipes, Drum and Bugle Corps is the only field music formation in service in the Brazilian Marine Corps and within the wider Brazilian Navy, and one of a few active formations today in service in the Brazilian Armed Forces. Formed in 1822 on the basis of the field music formations of the present day Portuguese Marine Corps stationed in Brazil, it is also the oldest in South America.
The City of Dunedin Pipe Band is a Grade 1 pipe band out of Dunedin, Florida. It is led by pipe major Iain Donaldson and drum sergeant Eric MacNeill.