The draw for North Berwick was posted yesterday, and it seems as though the contest organizers have changed their minds since the entry form went out. The combined Grade 2 and 1 event will be a medley this year. This means we won't really need an MSR in Scotland, unless somewhere else has a change of heart, too.
Regardless, the best part is that we play the combined event just before the 78th Frasers. Years from now, you can tell your grandchildren, "Yes, at North Berwick in '06, we were just ahead of the Frasers." No one need know by then that it was the draw, and not the result. North Berwick offers a unique opportunity to Grade 2 bands: to play against some of the best bands in the World. For the Grade 1 bands, these can be hair pullers, as bands last year would tell you who lost to the Grade 2 Drambuie-Notplaying Pipe Band.
All things considered, it should be an exciting time, and I'm looking forward to some great tunes on Scottish soil.
4 comments:
I don't think that a mixed grade event is good for any of the bands. In the event that a grade two band beats a grade one band, well I suppose that is tuff luck for the grade one band. Aside from winners and losers, if the draw were the other way, would you really want to play right after one of the world's top pipe bands? What if the grade two band's tone was off just a little bit, and the grade one band was sounding great, is there a chance that the judge would be over critical of the grade two band? I think so.
"...if the draw were the other way, would you really want to play right after one of the world's top pipe bands?"
I'd want to play anytime. Here's the thing: I have been part of a band that won the Medley and the MSR cricles in Grade 1 at the Worlds, and finished 2nd overall on two occasions.The 78th Frasers are not gods [Bill might be close]; they are very good players.
What the judges think of the comparison, I don't care. If I did, I wouldn't be in the band. When you are in a Grade 1 band, Grade 2 bands are crap, even the good ones. A bad sound at a Grade 1 practice is, "Oh man, that's so Grade 2."
So, it's about playing to our ability as a band, and enjoying being on the field with some truly great bands. What the judges think is beyond control or caring. Hopefully, they like it. Winning is fun.
Well, I'm sorry to say that it looks like we (scottish lion 78th frasers) are not actually going to be playing at North Berwick. I was pretty excited about the idea of seeing you guys (my home team!) from the final tuning circle, and I asked around at practise this past weekend and I guess there was some mix-up and we aren't suppsoed to be on the list. We're doing two games in scotland - bridge of allan and the worlds.
In terms of gr. 1/2 competitions, I suppose grade 2 bands have nothing to lose and everything to gain, while the gr. 1 bands really just have to put on a good show as they well can so that they can show they're worth everything that they've put in all year to be the best.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing you all at Bridge of Allan! (and at the todd...and in the streets of glasgow, and at the worlds).
All the best,
Kate
Thanks Kate, and sorry to hear that we won't have the pleasure of hearing the 78ths at North Berwick. Look forward to hearing the band next day, and to seeing you in Glasgow.
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