DUNDEE'S Mackenzie Caledonian Pipe Band, which has a Broughty Ferry base, has won the 2008 European Championships, held at Lisburn, Northern Ireland.
The local band was one of 23 in the contest, and their victory means that they add the European title to the British Championships which they won in July.
The next stage is the World Championships, which will be held at Glasgow Green later this mo
nth.
If they are victorious in Glasgow, the band will be promoted in the rankings to Grade 2 from Grade 3A.
The MacKenzie Pipe Band was formed in 1918 at the end of the First World War and its members largely comprised returning ex-servicemen.
After many successful years competing in Grade II, it was felt that amalgamating with another pipe band would strengthen piping and drumming in the Dundee area, and the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band was born.
This combination was very successful, but in the early '70s there was a lack of young players.
However, with the drive, enthusiasm and vision of Pipe Major J.K. Grimmond and his executive committee, the MacKenzie Caledonian Juvenile Pipe Band was formed.
They have won every major title in their grade, and became World Champions and Champion of Champions in the Novice Juvenile Grade as recently as 1998. This was due to the hard work and dedication of the tutors and members of both the senior and juvenile Bands.
The band's website is www.mac-cal.org
The full article contains 249 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
