Dysart and Dundonald Pipe Band
Encyclopedia
The 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 Championships
in 1977 and 1978 in Grade I. Founded in 1929, the band has gone through many ups and down as well as name and leadership changes. Its success is often attributed to the band's policy of training its own pipers from a young age.
, the band's performance was helped significantly by receiving sponsorship from the workers of the Dundonald Colliery. Each miner deducted a penny a week from his pay to help increase the band's funds. With this support, the band won the Juvenile Championship at Cowal
in 1952.
The band continued to achieve success, winning the Grade III World Championships in 1953 and the Grade II World Championships in 1958. This, however, was to be their peak performance for two decades. In 1965 the Dundonald Colliery closed and both the band and the village lost their primary means of support. Fortunately, the blow was slightly off set when the Frances Colliery in Dysart adopted the band.
In 1966 Robert Shepherd was appointed Pipe Major
and a year later the band began to train young players, marking the start of the "Youth Policy". This idea was very successful, and the organization fielded a Juvenile band which won the British Championships in 1969. One year later, the main band was upgraded to Grade II in 1970 and finally Grade I in 1973. They continued their success after this until 1983, when Bob Shepherd stepped down, becoming World Champions twice, Cowal Champions four times, British Champions three times, Scottish Champions seven times and European Champions twice.
A concert held in Ballymena 1983 and later reproduced by Temple Records on 1994 remains a ground breaking Pipe Band
recording mixing traditional styles with modern ones, influencing many modern top pipe band recordings since, such as the legendary 78th Fraser Highlanders
Live In Ireland concert recording.
After 1983, the Grade I band was able to keep from being downgraded, but won few events. Their Juvenile wing, however, continued to win major competitions. The Grade I band qualified for the finals of the World Championships for the first time since qualifying was introduced in 2000, and again in 2006.
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
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 Championships
World Pipe Band Championships
The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition currently held in Glasgow, Scotland every August. The event has been operating regularly since 1930, when the Scottish Pipe Band Association was formed...
in 1977 and 1978 in Grade I. Founded in 1929, the band has gone through many ups and down as well as name and leadership changes. Its success is often attributed to the band's policy of training its own pipers from a young age.
History
After going through two pipe majors and a break during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the band's performance was helped significantly by receiving sponsorship from the workers of the Dundonald Colliery. Each miner deducted a penny a week from his pay to help increase the band's funds. With this support, the band won the Juvenile Championship at Cowal
Cowal
thumb|Cowal shown within ArgyllCowal is a peninsula in Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands.-Description:The northern part of Cowal is mostly the mountainous Argyll Forest Park. Cowal is separated from the Kintyre peninsula to the west by Loch Fyne, and from Inverclyde and North Ayrshire to...
in 1952.
The band continued to achieve success, winning the Grade III World Championships in 1953 and the Grade II World Championships in 1958. This, however, was to be their peak performance for two decades. In 1965 the Dundonald Colliery closed and both the band and the village lost their primary means of support. Fortunately, the blow was slightly off set when the Frances Colliery in Dysart adopted the band.
In 1966 Robert Shepherd was appointed Pipe Major
Pipe Major
The 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...
and a year later the band began to train young players, marking the start of the "Youth Policy". This idea was very successful, and the organization fielded a Juvenile band which won the British Championships in 1969. One year later, the main band was upgraded to Grade II in 1970 and finally Grade I in 1973. They continued their success after this until 1983, when Bob Shepherd stepped down, becoming World Champions twice, Cowal Champions four times, British Champions three times, Scottish Champions seven times and European Champions twice.
A concert held in Ballymena 1983 and later reproduced by Temple Records on 1994 remains a ground breaking Pipe Band
Pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
recording mixing traditional styles with modern ones, influencing many modern top pipe band recordings since, such as the legendary 78th Fraser Highlanders
78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band
The 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, is a pipe band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The 78th Frasers became the first non-Scottish band to win the World Pipe Band Championships, in the summer of 1987...
Live In Ireland concert recording.
After 1983, the Grade I band was able to keep from being downgraded, but won few events. Their Juvenile wing, however, continued to win major competitions. The Grade I band qualified for the finals of the World Championships for the first time since qualifying was introduced in 2000, and again in 2006.