2011 World Pipe Band Championships

Hello and welcome to one of the biggest musical events of the year.

We've got top-class performances and thousands of musicians.

It can only be The World Pipe Band Championships.

Hello and welcome to Glasgow Green

for the World Pipe Band Championships 2011.

Once again, bands from all over the world have come to the city

to find out who is the best of the best.

For the musicians here today, this is the time when months of rehearsal are put to the test.

Like top sportsmen, there are years of dedication needed to produce

the perfect performance. And coming up,

we'll be showing you the very best from this special event.

We'll also have a flavour of the sort of pressure the players are under.

And at the end of the programme,

we'll be finding out who is crowned World Champions 2011.

Coming up, some of the best performances from this year's top-level competition.

We hear of one band's incredible effort to make it

-to this year's championship.

-Coming to the World Championships this year has been hugely important.

It's provided us with a focus

to get on with life.

CHEERING

We find out from last year's winners what it means to be the best in the world.

To hear St Laurence O'Toole being called out as Grade One World Champions

was the most amazing experience, the most amazing feeling.

And at the end of the show, we'll be finding out who is this year's world champion.

Before we get into the music, a bit of explanation as to what's happening.

There are hundreds of bands competing here today in different classes and different age groups.

But the top league competition takes place in the Grade One Arena.

There are 14 bands in the final, and all have the chance of becoming

World Champions and going home with this magnificent trophy.

Let's speak now to our commentator today, player and sometime judge,

-Bob Worrall. Good to see you.

-Good to be back.

Let's discuss how the competition is arranged.

First round, March, Strathspeys and Reels. And then the medley?

It's a March, Strathspey and Reel first. It's very prescribed, but they can select the tunes they wish.

We've seen much more diversity in the marches than last year, which delights me.

There will be one result at the end. In turn, they will all come back and play their medley,

which is much more free form, very creative.

I think we'll hear some great medleys. Two results are blended together,

-one champion for that trophy.

-That takes us to an important ingredient, the weather.

August in Glasgow, we've had four seasons so far. How does that affect the playing?

The weather is very changeable today. We get a little bit of rain, a little bit of sun.

With the bagpipe in particular, to maintain that tone is very difficult

to maintain chanter stability, to keep the drones in tune.

It can be sunny, then it rains and the drones go out of tune.

Some pipe majors are masters at managing changeable conditions,

without mentioning any names. Some might struggle a little more.

I know for the pipe majors from our side of the Atlantic,

it's much more difficult for them.

-Who should we be looking out for this year?

-The reigning champions, St Laurence O'Toole,

second in the first three championships. Simon Fraser University

won it the year before last, the year before that.

They'd love to get it back again. Of course, Field Marshal Montgomery.

They won the first three championships.

-Richard Parkes would love to have this trophy back.

-All to play for.

And, boy, can they play! Let's get some music now.

Let's go to the Grade One Arena for the March, Strathspey and Reel.

'First up, reigning champions St Laurence O'Toole.'

That was an absolutely superb introduction.

Strong introductory tone.

Nicely balanced.

And it's the dynamics range coming off these snares and the phrase definition I really enjoy.

The pipes held well, despite the bad conditions.

Yeah, I wouldn't say it was our greatest run ever...

..but it's well up there in terms of what we do as a band.

This is a very musical march right now.

Very nicely defined phrases, good lift on the offbeat accents.

First, I'm hoping for a couple of good runs. I think we got one there.

I'm hoping for another good one. Possibly push up a couple of places.

That's obviously the objective, to get higher up the prize list than you did the previous year.

Strathspey's coming across just a bit on the careful side.

It was good today. A wee bit windy. But I thought it was good in general.

Speak to the guys when you get back and see what they think.

We're getting close to the conclusion of this performance. It has been stellar.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And a bit of a half-smile from Richard Parkes.

Felt really good. Quite happy with the performance.

Obviously you're always very nervous, going in the first time.

Everything seemed to go well.

I'll speak to the other guys, but everybody seems to be quite happy with that.

We'll have more from the March, Strathspey and Reel in a minute.

But first, the story of one particular band and their massive effort to get here.

Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band come from New Zealand.

But their story isn't so much to do with how far they've come to get here,

it's their home town, Christchurch, which you may remember

was devastated by an earthquake earlier this year.

For them, this year's championship is more than just a competition.

2010 was the first year that New Zealanders The Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band

had competed in the World Pipe Band Championships.

They vowed last year that they'd be back.

Little did they know what was about to happen to their beloved city.

New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency following

the devastating earthquake which struck Christchurch yesterday.

The earthquake hit Christchurch,

causing massive damage and loss of life across the city.

The community was devastated.

It had a resounding effect on everyone in the band.

February 22nd, we had a major earthquake.

Very fortunate that I wasn't in any buildings.

Certainly, the whole experience of just trying to stay on your feet...

...was almost like sort of...

riding an out of control surfboard or something like that.

It lasted about 40 seconds, I think.

But it became quite obvious straight after

the shake that there'd been pretty substantial damage.

Although the band didn't lose anyone directly,

the devastation of the earthquake struck at their very heart -

their headquarters for 88 years, Caledonian Hall.

Unfortunately, through the February earthquake,

that actual hall has now been basically destroyed.

So, there's a lot of memories, a lot of cultural significance for the band

and the Scottish community of Christchurch within it. So, for us to lose that was a very terrible shame.

There was the property damage. But also psychologically,

I've noticed a big effect upon...

people in Christchurch generally.

Those that have been directly affected by the earthquake,

something like 40,000 homes have been lost.

1,000 commercial buildings.

With their home destroyed,

with the loss of pipes, drums, band memorabilia and a city in ruins,

the band had to decide whether they'd be able to return

to the world championships this year.

In terms of the band, it was a bit of a line in the sand for us,

trying to decide whether we move along

and keep going with our plans to come to Scotland

this year. Certainly, there was a strong determination

by all the individuals that life had to move on.

And the trip to Glasgow provided us with a very definite

target to move on.

So, six months after their city was in ruins, here they are

playing in the qualifying round of the World Championships 2011.

An emotional moment for the band and all their friends, families

and supporters in Glasgow - and at home in Christchurch.

I'm very, very happy with the performance this morning.

Conditions were good, in the end.

The weather forecast wasn't so good a couple of days ago,

but ideal conditions this morning. Very happy.

Sadly, their performance wasn't enough

to get them into the later stages of the competition.

Perhaps just getting here was a world-class achievement in itself.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The band from Christchurch didn't make it through

from the earlier qualifying round. So, it was left to Manawatu

to fly the flag for New Zealand in the afternoon final.

Here's a flavour of their March, Strathspey and Reel.

I was pleased to get through the morning qualifying round

with the band. We had a couple of small issues.

But I thought we kept our composure really well out there.

We expressed the music as I'd hoped to.

Yeah, we're pleased with that.

It's a good day for it. Everybody was saying it'd be too wet.

But it's warm enough and the temperature's quite good.

So, we didn't have a lot of problems getting to the final.

We wanted to come here today, we want to get to the final.

That's why we're here. Top 10 finish would be great for us.

It went pretty good, it's good to be back in the final.

We're just coming down from making the final, so that was good.

It's nice to be back playing in the afternoon.

It's nice to have a bit of warmth.

We have had a quite a cold, damp week here in Glasgow.

We have had a very cold, damp summer back home.

Not quite as bad as this one!

And a strong finish, Tom blowing well

and a precise cut off on that performance.

We're here to try to win the Championship. There's very tough competition,

we're not fools in that area, it's going to be difficult.

But we're here to win.

Still to come, we'll be hearing from the winning band of last year,

St Laurence O'Toole, and finding out what it meant to them to claim the title in their centenary year.

But first, let's take a look at what else is going on around Glasgow Green today.

There's always a great family atmosphere on site.

If you want huffing and puffing of a different sort,

there are the Glasgow World Highland Games.

Or tough competition goes on at the Highland dancing,

which is why 30,000 people came to the event this year.

What makes this event special?

The pipe band music is beautiful, it's lovely.

-Are you taking part?

-We played this morning.

-How did you get on?

-We didn't qualify, but we got sixth, so we're really, really happy.

-It's just a fabulous day out.

-Yeah, absolutely fabulous.

We are from Stranraer, which is a very small place,

and we have the Loch Ryan Pipe Band

and they used to compete and stopped,

and recently getting back together and looking to compete again.

And we're here to try and get a feel of what it's all about,

because we're coming back next year to compete.

It really is a great day out and there's plenty to do for many supporters -

the mums, the dads, the partners of all the players. And you know what?

Those players will need that support, because in a few minutes,

we're going to find out the standings at the half way mark.

But before that let's go back to the March, Strathspey and Reel Round in the main arena.

There was a fairly significant problem in that introduction in terms of double-toning drums.

We have had a change in personnel this year from 2010.

We're rebuilding the band this year.

We've actually had a reasonable good year.

Steadied ourselves in Grade One, round about the middle of the grade,

just not quite making the prize list, but today, it's probably the best we've played all year.

The guys are happy with their playing. We have lots of new guys this time,

first time playing with the band. I'm happy with the performance.

I was anyway, I'll speak to the rest of them and see what it's like.

That was a confident release into the Strathspey.

Nothing cautious about the presentation. A good lift and pulse extension.

Someone said it last year, the best case is winning it,

but such is the standard of competition

just now if any band get in the top six this year, it's good going. So I think

we would like for more,

but I think we would be happy with that, I guess.

Anywhere between sixth, tenth maybe less than that, I don't know.

Hoping for sixth! But it's not my business.

Our business is just to play the music

and the rest is up to the guys with the pens.

That's the March, Strathspey and Reel Round completed.

You have to do well in that round to be in with a chance of claiming the big prize.

Let's see who is in the running at this stage.

In sixth place are the youngsters of Inverary and District.

Fifth - and a bit off the lead at this stage - are last year's winners, St Laurence O'Toole.

Next Scottish Power. With Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia third.

Vancouver's Simon Fraser University are chasing the current leaders,

who are Field Marshal Montgomery.

At this stage, they are the band to beat.

It's time for the Medley Round now and in this round, the bands

can be a bit more adventurous in their music selection.

So whose performance will make them World Champions this year?

Let's go back to the main arena.

Very sophisticated harmonies, great integration here.

Have a good listen to what the bass and tenor drums do

in these jigs.

Some very lovely, lovely voicing.

How much of an advantage, disadvantage is it to be on first?

Depends on how you look at it.

The way I look at it is you get the chance to go on and set the standard.

I suppose then everybody else has got to play up to that mark.

So if you play well, then it can be a good thing.

An excellent introduction and a very well presented version

of Captain Carswell, the great 2/4 march.

Tell me what it means for a band to come so far to the Worlds here.

It is really special.

The bagpipes are from here. We all grew up with

icons from Scotland and this area,

you know, Ireland and Scotland and it just feels special to come here.

-How do you think you did in the competition?

-Good. We're very pleased with how we did.

Our goal was to move up the ladder a little bit and we will see what happens.

Into their final tune, great tune, Jenny Dang The Weaver.

I think it is about the third part we should really watch

the whole percussion section here.

Here we are.

Very strong finish to that performance.

Terry, how was it for you?

It was pretty good for me, thank you very much.

-Big band, big noise, big cheer?

-Yes, glad to hear that.

Coming all this way from Canada, a bit of rain through the week,

it's nice and steady now, we're appreciating that. Really enjoyed that run, thank you.

And how near the prey are you this year?

Well, the prey are very good this year.

-So we're hoping to stay with them and...

-We're talking Field Marshal Montgomery I take it?

I'm talking Field Marshal Montgomery, God love them, they're brilliant.

-So they're the ones to beat?

-In my opinion, they're the ones to beat this year.

More music in a moment, but to give you an idea of just how significant this competition is

to those who take part, we have been speaking to last year's winner,

St Laurence O'Toole from the Republic of Ireland.

This is their secret preparation area, tucked away at Glasgow Green.

But they, with perfect timing last year, picked up

the title for the first time in what was their centenary year.

That must have been quite a party!

2010 and the band knew that to win the Worlds in their centenary year

would be the best way to mark their anniversary.

Last year was probably the most busiest year we have ever had.

We started off our centenary year with a huge celebration

in March time that went on for almost three days.

And from that then the season just became busier.

The band started off the season reasonably well and it just got better as it went along.

But their win was certainly no coronation.

It was a tense moment late that summer's day last August.

Grade One World Champions...

..winning the RSPBA Jubilee Trophy and banner...

..St Laurence O'Toole, No 16.

WILD CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

In the 100 years of the band's history, this was the pinnacle of their career so far.

To hear St Laurence O'Toole's being called out as Grade One World Champions was

the most amazing experience, the most amazing feeling.

And as a group, because we work so hard all season, all winter,

to get there, just to get that payoff was absolutely amazing.

But a new year means a new season of competitions.

So far the band has taken second place at both European and British

Championships and the pressure is starting to build on Glasgow Green.

It's early morning and we're starting to feel the butterflies and things,

but just can't wait to get started.

We want to win today. Don't get me wrong,

getting the prize of the World Championships is a massive feat

and everyone wants to get in there on the prize list.

But we're going in there to defend our title and we don't want to lose it.

Everybody in the band is up for it today. We know that we have a really strong chance of doing well today.

We've been coming here for 30 years, so we're not going to stop now.

So fighting to hold on to their world title, can this medley

performance make it two in a row for St Laurence O'Toole?

Very lyrical slow air and then into that lovely transition

that they have constructed into the waltz time.

We wanted the come out and defend our title to the best of our ability.

I think we have done that.

I hope the judges think that as well.

And another clever transition into the reel version of this tune.

The chanters are probably closer than ever at the World Championship, so that makes a big difference

to the guys' confidence when the chanters are really well set and the guys just go on and play.

-So we have done all we can.

-Fourth last year. What do you hope for this year?

-I said the top three last year and see where that got me!

-You have to aim for the top.

Absolutely. Well we always do, so fingers crossed.

Great musical jig playing, a tiny bit on the careful side.

Things have been going well for you, because you have been slowly but surely moving up the rankings.

Yeah, we're making steady progress.

We've got a good team of guys and they work hard.

I'd rather it was this way, working slowly and getting it right.

How do you think you have done this year?

This morning wasn't as good as this afternoon.

I think we with the reel with the wind, it was a bit shaky, but that performance I was really happy with.

This year's been quite hard going.

But today we had to qualify this morning.

How hard was that, both playing and on stress levels?

Stressful. It's the first time I've had to qualify in Grade One.

I've been lucky enough to be through to the final every year until this year.

But it's a good experience for the guys.

It's really sharpened up their fitness and really made them concentrate hard.

We knew we potentially had three performances today. So I'm delighted with the effort and application

the guys put in and I'm delighted with that medley. Really chuffed.

The tension is mounting as we get closer to finding out who will be World Champions.

But let's join someone you may remember - Stuart Liddell of Inverary and District Pipe Band.

And let's just remind you of what an incredible year it was last year.

The band's first year in Grade One and they came in the top ten.

-Now, that was last year. Dare I ask how this year's gone?

-This year's been fantastic.

We have had three previous Championships, we have been in the top six prize list and, yeah...

it's going well.

The march goes on.

Tell me, what strikes me is how young so many of your band members seem to be.

-How old are they?

-Well, the majority are around about the 19 mark.

Our bass drummer is 15 and I think I'm the second oldest in the band at...

And you're only a boy yourself!

I'm glad you cut me off there!

I'm just a young fella.

What are you hoping for this year?

It won't be top three. That's taken care of, I think.

Fourth and fifth?

No, I don't think so. I think anywhere between sixth and ninth

is probably more realistic for us.

I'm hoping for sixth.

Well, the fairy tale may well go on.

We wish you the very best of luck.

Let's find out now how the band get on as they enter the Grade One Arena for the medley performance.

They're teasing us now, they're playing the Kesh Waltz and the Kesh Jig.

Inter-facing one with the other.

Very difficult to do. Artfully done. Very, very good.

-Your initial feelings?

-Very good.

Aye, that was great. Of all the performance this year,

I think I will take that as the best one for us this year so far.

-So, happy.

-You said you set your players a challenging medley. How did they perform?

They did exceptionally well. The rain came on us,

didn't seem to faze them, very delighted with the way they handled it.

Love the bass chanter work in that part. Lovely.

Very sophisticated jig playing by the Pipe Corum.

It was very enjoyable.

I really enjoyed where I was, I will need to talk to the rest of guys,

but it's music, it's suppose to be enjoyable. So it's good.

And by all accounts a very strong first round?

We'll see, it is up to the judges, but we were quite happy with it.

Amazing top hand articulation.

They are totally in the zone.

Now, quiet, considered Richard Parkes won't like this,

but the word on the street was before today,

on your form this year, you had the Worlds to lose.

How do you think you did?

I would never say that you have the Worlds to lose,

it's all on the day, a lot of good bands out there.

As we always say, a lot of great bands. I don't think the Worlds was ours to lose today.

I knew you wouldn't like that! You and I haven't chatted on the winner's rostrum for a few years,

how likely is it that we're going to meet again today?

I can't say that, Jackie.

I would love to meet you on the winner's rostrum today, I would love to have that opportunity.

That's it, all the finalists have completed both sections of the competition.

All that's left now is for the judges to tally the scores

and soon we will know who the World Champions are. Bob joins me again.

Bob, a great day. What were the highlights performances for you?

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I think there were a number of bands that were really strong in both

and ultimately at the end of the day,

there are going to be six bands vying for positions two to six.

In the morning, you said, based on form, there was going to be one winner and that was...?

I think the winner today will be Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band.

Thank you for that. Will it be Field Marshal Montgomery?

They were the favourites.

Or will St Laurence O'Toole make its two in a row?

What about a Scottish win? We haven't had one for six long years.

Well, we're about to find out.

Grade One, World Champions 2011.

In first place...

winning the RSPBA Jubilee trophy and banner...

-..Field Marshal Montgomery, No 19.

-CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And in second place,

Simon Fraser University, No 15.

In third place, Scottish Power, No 4.

In fourth place...

Inverary and District, No 21.

Richard Parkes, Field Marshal Montgomery, you are a very happy man today. You were the band to beat.

Did that make it even harder today?

It did indeed. But I have got a really strong band at the minute.

I'm really pleased with how they played today and we couldn't have asked for any more.

We played really well both times. So it was an excellent day for us.

It has been few years since you had your hands on that trophy, were you itching for it?

Yeah, it's been a wee while since you have interviewed me!

I'm very pleased to be here now, and I mean we really wanted it today.

The band's up this year, from last year.

So we have worked hard all winter and very pleased with the result.

I was looking back at the records, it is nearly 20 years since YOU first won it as a Pipe Major.

Does the feeling change in any way?

Absolutely not. It gets better every time!

As I said, you had a fantastic season.

-What was the magic ingredient this year?

-It's the hard work that the guys have all put in,

the fact that we didn't win it - for three years second -

we really wanted it, we worked hard and it's paid dividends this year.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for the World Pipe Band Champions 2011, Field Marshal Montgomery!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

How did the other positions shape up?

It's a Scottish band in sixth position, Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia.

Not making it two in a row this year, St Laurence O'Toole, last year's champions, are fifth.

A great result for Inverary and District, higher than they expected at fourth.

Next another Scottish band placing very well, it's Scottish Power, will who be happy with that.

Simon Fraser missed out this year on the top spot, which, of course, goes to Northern Ireland

and Field Marshal Montgomery.

That's it from Glasgow Green,

the world's best came to battle it out.

The world title was won by Field Marshal Montgomery,

who are making their triumphant march behind me.

-And what a performance from them.

-Two great performances, a 100% deserved win. Terrific.

If you want some more, then go online to:

But from Bob and from me, and a jubilant Field Marshal Montgomery, thank you for watching. Bye-bye.

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