“This is like the Olympics of bagpipes,” said Guelph Pipe Band member Aidan Maher after coming back from a major pipe band competition in Scotland.
After learning how to play the bagpipes at age 12, Maher found himself at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, 18 years later. “It was a dream come true,” said Maher. “I have wanted to do this for so long.”
The last time the Guelph Pipe Band was at the world championships was in 1981.
Maher chose to learn how to play the pipes almost at random. His mom taught piano and he tried to learn it. “But that doesn't exactly work out when your mom knows when you're practicing or not practicing,” said Maher.
His mom knew he liked music and said he could pick any instrument he wanted. He chose bagpipes.
He learned to play through a teacher and joined Fergus’ Grand Celtic Pipe Band. About eight years ago he joined the Guelph Pipe Band.
In September last year the band decided it was going to go to the world championships the following year. Before then the band wanted to compete in another championship to get its feet wet.
The band competed in the European Pipe Band Championships in Perth, Scotland. It placed second. “We were jumping up and down on the field. We were just thrilled. Just screaming at the top of our lungs,” said Maher.
The band celebrated but needed to keep focus for what was ahead.
Heading onto the grass at Glasgow Green, where the world championship competition took place, Maher felt the brisk temperature, smelled the fish and chips from the food vendors, beer from the nearby breweries, saw a sea of people in the park and heard bagpipes in the distance as musicians got ready.
He said there were roughly 7,000 musicians and about 5,000 spectators for the one day championship.
About 40 members of the Guelph Pipe Band’s Grade 3 band competed in Scotland. The grading system in Ontario. The Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario grade pipe bands across the province with Grades 1 through 5. Grade 1 being the highest and Grade 5 being the lowest.
In Scotland’s grading system for major championships the bands are placed; Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3A, Grade 3B, Juvenile, Grade 4A, Grade 4B, Novice Juvenile A and Novice Juvenile B.
The Guelph Pipe Band had the choice of being in Grade 3A or Grade 3B. Grade 3A was chosen because it felt its skill level matched.
At the world championships Maher met his favourite pipe major, Chris Armstrong from ScottishPower Pipe Band, and got to take a selfie from him.
Spectators at the worlds went up to Guelph Pipe Band members and wished them luck in the competition. Some even recognized the band from the European Pipe Band Championships and said they were impressed.
“I think we felt pretty good coming off the Euros, getting second that we felt like we had a strong chance of qualifying. But you never know, right? The competition is so tight over there, so we weren't counting our chickens before they hatch,” said Maher.
While the pipe band slowly made its way into the competition arena hours after it made it through the qualifying match to the finals the band felt more and more eyes on them as the musicians tuned their pipes.
“And all these faces that you don't recognize, sort of watching you, looking at you, and then whispering something to the next person beside them,” said Maher. Spectators would also give the band nods and raise their eyebrows.
After the band performed its medley Maher couldn’t believe it. “I almost cried. I just competed at a world championship for something. That’s amazing,” he said.
When it was announced that the Guelph Pipe Band placed fourth at the world championships the band erupted. Cheering, clapping and congratulating each other for all the hard work they put into this.
