Breaking from tradition

The House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band is certainly one of the top bands in the world today.  They've won the World Pipe Band Championships fifteen times since 1948, and have placed in the top three every year since 1993, including five wins.  Shotts is a dominant force that attract top quality players from all over the world, and are always contenders for the top prizes.



It was very surprising, therefore, that they pulled off this stunt at the Worlds this year.  In the last tune of the medley, every piper turned around 180 degrees to face the audience instead of the center of the circle.  Turning around will inevitably lead to a decline in unison playing and lower marks from the judges based on the technical performance, but perhaps riskier is being marked down for doing something different.  The band broke no rules except tradition, which can be quite strong in its own right.  For a contending band to do something different that would jeopardize the chance of winning takes courage and confidence. 

Shotts Pipe Major Rob Mathieson has called for reform of the pipe band competition format, pointing out that we are really the only musical groups that perform with our backs to the audience and judges.  It makes good musical sense to have all the musicians in view of each other, but not very good entertainment sense to block out the listeners. 

Perhaps something like the arrangement in this concert, where only the pipe major has his back to the audience.  That's the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band from Ireland in concert in Pittsburgh, PA in November 2007, by the way.  The majority of the musicians are facing out and everyone can see the one who is directing.  It makes better sense to me, but trying to get the pipe band world to accept it, or any change to "the way things have always been done," will be a slow process.


In case you're wondering, Shotts finished fourth in the medley and third overall at the Worlds.