Antwerp & District Pipe Band
Encyclopedia
The Antwerp & District Pipe Band is Belgium's leading pipe band, it's also the first ever grade two band in Belgium which it became after becoming second at the British Championships in Annan.
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 worlds 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 competiting 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.
, Canada
and France
. Some of the members have also played in various grade 1 bands or left the band to play with them.
Pipers:
Drummers:
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 worlds biggest pipe band championships, the Cowal Highland Gathering
Cowal Highland Gathering
The Cowal Highland Gathering is an annual Highland games event held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, Argyll, over the final weekend in August.-History:...
. 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 competiting 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.
Band Members
The members travel many miles for band practice and competitions. The Antwerp & District Pipe Band is also a very international band, with players from Holland, ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Some of the members have also played in various grade 1 bands or left the band to play with them.
Pipers:
- Stephen Tierney (Pipe MajorPipe MajorThe Pipe Major is the director of bagpipe music in a Scottish or Irish pipe band. Like Drum Major, the position of Pipe Major is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term Sergeant Piper was used for the role in place of "Pipe Major".Civillian and military...
) - Peter Hyndrikx (Pipe SergeantPipe SergeantThe Pipe Sergeant, commonly abbreviated as "P/Sgt", is the number two person in charge of the pipers in a Scottish pipe band or pipes and drums. In terms of seniority, the Pipe Sergeant is secondary only to the Pipe Major, who is the director of bagpipe music in a pipe band. A Pipe Sergeant...
) - Marco De Clercq
- Johan De Meulenaere
- Jimmy Devolder
- Thomas Kerkhof
- Michel Lavolé
- Ann Margaret McCuaig
- Dries Papen
- Kurt Somers
- Andrew Tierney
- Dennis van Meel
- Stijn Van Wesepoel
Drummers:
- Jan De Beuckelaer (Leading Drummer)
- René Hollants
- Richard Papens
- Peter Ternede
- Seppe Verwimp
- Ronny Cloots (Bass)
- Elke Peeters (Tenor)
Pipe Majors
| 1978–1988 | P/M Ludo Thijssen |
| 1988–2002 | P/M Andrew Tierney |
| 2002–2007 | P/M Thomas Kerkhof |
| 2007–present | P/M Stephen Tierney |
Notable former members
- Ludo Thijssen: founding pipe-major of the band.
- Olav Goud: moved to Scotland to play with the Polkemmet Pipe Band, the Lothian & Borders Police Pipe BandLothian & Borders Police Pipe BandThe Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band based in Edinburgh, Scotland.- History :The band can trace its origins back to 1882, after the Lord Provost's Committee suggested in February of the same year that a police band be formed...
, the Strathclyde Police Pipe BandStrathclyde Police Pipe BandThe Strathclyde Police Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band was formed in 1883 as the Burgh of Govan Police Pipe Band and was one of the first pipe bands to be formed outside the ranks of the British military...
, and the Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe BandBoghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe BandThe Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band has been a force in pipe band competition, becoming a contender in major grade one competitions since it was promoted to that level in 1980. The band was founded in 1972...
. - René Frederiksen: played with the 6-times world champions, the Simon Fraser University Pipe BandSimon Fraser University Pipe BandThe Simon Fraser University Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band affiliated with Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada . The band has consistently placed in the top three in world competition and has won the Grade One World Pipe Band Championships six times: 1995, 1996, 1999,...
. - Robbert Van Gorp: played with the Lothian & Borders Police Pipe BandLothian & Borders Police Pipe BandThe Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band based in Edinburgh, Scotland.- History :The band can trace its origins back to 1882, after the Lord Provost's Committee suggested in February of the same year that a police band be formed...
and is a now a member of the Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe BandBoghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe BandThe Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band has been a force in pipe band competition, becoming a contender in major grade one competitions since it was promoted to that level in 1980. The band was founded in 1972...
. - Thomas Kerkhof: played with the old Dysart and Dundonald Pipe BandDysart and Dundonald Pipe BandThe Dysart and Dundonald Pipe Band has, in its long history, risen from a junior band in the tiny village of Dundonald, Fife to achieve rapid and constant success on the 1970s, winning championships in grades III and II and culminating in two winning performances at the World Pipe Band...
before he became pipe major of the band. after a couple of years, Thomas started practising with the Shotts and Dykehead Pipe BandShotts and Dykehead Pipe BandThe House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead Pipe Band, also known as Shotts and Dykehead or simply "Shotts", is a grade one pipe band from Shotts, in the North Lanarkshire region of Scotland...
.