Tweedvale Pipe Band perform well at World Championships.

Tweedvale Pipe Band travelled 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 attracts over 250 bands from all across the globe to compete for the coveted title of World Champions. Tweedvale Pipe Band arrived in Glasgow before 8.00am in order to prepare for their qualifying heat. Playing second out of 13 bands in the first of three qualifying heats in Grade 4A, the band put in a confident performance of their test piece ”Greenwoodside and Earl of Mansfield”. The band then remained around the contest arena to listen to rival bands and anxiously await the outcome of the qualifying heat. Around an hour later the band received the news they had been waiting for – qualification for the 12 band final had been achieved!! For the third successive year the band had made the final, the only band from Lothian and Borders are to achieve this. Tweedvale were scheduled to play 1st in the 12 band final. Playing their other contest piece, “Jack’s Welcome Home, Sruleen Park, Bessie Weatherston and Lord Lovat’s Lament”, the band took to the contest field slightly after the 14.45 start time. Unfortunately nerves took over and the performance in the final was not as assured as in the morning. When the results were announced in the early evening, Tweedvale were placed ninth overall in Grade 4A with the Grade 4A title being taken by the University of Strathclyde Pipe Band.  This result, whilst disappointing, has not affected Tweedvale Pipe Band’s position in the Champion of Champion’s table markedly, the band slipping one place from 3rd to 4th. The band is therefore still in with a good chance of promotion to Grade 3 at the end of the season with one major championships left to contest.

Speaking about the outcome of the World Championships, Tweedvale Pipe Major Bruce Gillie said "It was a slightly disappointing result on Saturday. The band played really well to win our qualifying heat, beating in the process the band that eventually won the championships, but I think nerves got the better of us again in the final and we didn’t really do ourselves justice. We gave the judges easy ways to criticise our performance. Nevertheless, it was still a good achievement making the final, something we have done consistently over the past three years. I’m sure the band will pick itself up from this slight setback and give a good account of itself at the Melrose contest this coming Saturday"

Tweedvale’s competition season continues this weekend when the band travels down the Borders to participate in the Melrose Pipe Band Championships. Held in the grounds of St Mary’s School, Tweedvale Pipe Band is scheduled to play 12th out of 14 bands in the Grade 4 contest. Tweedvale Pipe Band’s attendance at the Melrose Pipe Band Championships has been made possible due to generous coach sponsorship from The Bridge Inn, Peebles to whom the band extends its thanks. The band is also scheduled to play 3rd out of 15 bands in the Grade 3 contest at Melrose. Following on from the Melrose contest is the last Major Championships of the year, the Cowal Pipe Band Championships.