City of Washington Pipe Band
Encyclopedia
The City of Washington Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band
located in Washington, D.C.
City of Washington is one of only four grade one bands in the United States
, the others being the Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band
, the Oran Mor Pipe Band
of Albany, NY, and the City of Chicago Pipe Band.
in the District of Columbia. Pipe Major
Sandy Jones of the Air Force band took over in 1970.
In 1985, the band changed its name to The Scottish & Irish Imports Pipe Band due to a sponsorship change, and was upgraded to Grade One. In 1990 Mike Green was named Pipe Major, and after competing under the Denny & Dunipace name during the 1990 season, the band was re-named to the City of Washington Pipe Band to avoid confusion with a new Pipe Band
of the same name. In 2007 Dan Lyden was named Pipe Major
, and continues the band's tradition of excellent playing on the east coast.
Sponsorship from Icelandair
allowed the band to compete internationally in the 1990s, and the band was downgraded to conform with international standards. They won Grade Two at the World Pipe Band Championships
in 1999, and were subsequently upgraded back to Grade One. Since then, the band has competed internationally in Grade One, coming in 2nd at the North American Pipe Band Championships in Maxville, Ontario in 2000. More recently, the band has placed twice in the finals of the World Pipe Band Championships, taking 11th in 2001, and 14th in 2004.
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....
located in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
City of Washington is one of only four grade one bands in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the others being the Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band
Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band
The Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band, or, more commonly, the LA Scots, is a pipe band located in Orange County, California. The LA Scots are one of four active pipe bands in the United States who compete at the grade one level and have competed at this level since 1998...
, the Oran Mor Pipe Band
Oran Mor Pipe Band
The Oran Mor Pipe Band is a Grade 1 internationally competitive pipe band based in Albany, New York. It was founded in 1992 by Jim Clough, Bill MacNeill, and Donald Lindsay, and is one of the most consistently high-achieving bands in the United States...
of Albany, NY, and the City of Chicago Pipe Band.
History
The band was formed in 1961 as the Denny & Dunipace Pipe Band, by members of the U.S. Air Force Pipe Band. Unable to compete due to Air Force regulations, members of that band joined with local players to form a Grade Two pipe bandPipe 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....
in the District of Columbia. 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...
Sandy Jones of the Air Force band took over in 1970.
In 1985, the band changed its name to The Scottish & Irish Imports Pipe Band due to a sponsorship change, and was upgraded to Grade One. In 1990 Mike Green was named Pipe Major, and after competing under the Denny & Dunipace name during the 1990 season, the band was re-named to the City of Washington Pipe Band to avoid confusion with a new 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....
of the same name. In 2007 Dan Lyden was named 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 continues the band's tradition of excellent playing on the east coast.
Sponsorship from Icelandair
Icelandair
Icelandair ehf is the flag carrier airline of Iceland, based on the grounds of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík. It is part of the Icelandair Group and currently operates scheduled services to 31 cities in 13 countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean out of its hub at Keflavík International Airport...
allowed the band to compete internationally in the 1990s, and the band was downgraded to conform with international standards. They won Grade Two 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 1999, and were subsequently upgraded back to Grade One. Since then, the band has competed internationally in Grade One, coming in 2nd at the North American Pipe Band Championships in Maxville, Ontario in 2000. More recently, the band has placed twice in the finals of the World Pipe Band Championships, taking 11th in 2001, and 14th in 2004.
Notable members
- William Barr (politician)William Barr (politician)William Pelham Barr is an American attorney who served as the 77th Attorney General of the United States.Barr, the son of Mary and Donald Barr, Columbia University faculty members, was born in New York City and grew up on the Upper West side of Manhattan, attended Catholic parochial school Corpus...
, the 77th Attorney General of the United States.