Sources: ANAPBA shelves RSPBA re-grading letter initiative

According to several sources close to the matter, the Alliance of North American Pipe Band Associations (ANAPBA) has shelved the letter of concern that it had allegedly planned to send to the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) regarding the latter’s propensity to re-grade North American bands.

In late September, the nine ANAPBA member associations reportedly agreed to draft a letter of concern. Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario (PPBSO) Music Committee Chair Jim McGillivray was apparently appointed to create the first draft for consideration, but at a subsequent ANAPBA meeting, it was decided that the effort should be postponed.

The planned letter was reportedly to include:

• Disappointment that the RSPBA has opted to re-grade North American Bands.
• Concern for future participation by bands, as it could result in re-grading by the RSPBA.
• A desire to understand the RSPBA’s methodology for re-grading bands.
• Reaffirm the RSPBA’s agreement in 2005 to refrain from re-grading North American bands.

“I can confirm the idea has been shelved,” said one source who spoke, requesting anonymity. “The fact it was ‘leaked’ seems to have shelved the idea while other options get considered. An unfortunate outcome for bands that deserved advocacy.”

“An unfortunate outcome for bands that deserved advocacy.”

A message from pipes|drums to ANAPBA Chief Executive Jeff Mann and President Bill Caudill requesting details has not been answered.

Sources added that the second meeting reportedly included an animated discussion between ANAPBA members regarding the “leak” of the matter, PPBSO President Andrew B. Giles demanding to know the identity of the informant or informants.

“He was wild about the ANAPBA ‘leak’ in emails; demanding names,” said another source regarding Giles’s contributions at the meeting. “In the end, McGillivray suggested they not send it: ‘Wait until later,’ which, of course, was jumped on as deep wisdom. Much ado about nothing.”

The RSPBA re-grading non-member bands that compete in RSPBA-sanctioned events – often comprising only one performance – is not new, despite the association agreeing at an ANAPBA summit meeting in 2005 it would discontinue the practice.

Several non-RSPBA-member bands that competed at the 2024 World Championships were re-graded in September, including the City of Dunedin, one of only two Grade 1 bands in the United States.

Since ANAPBA’s creation in 24 years ago, the group has been criticized and praised. The collective has worked to standardize competition formats to create commonality for competitors from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, create a reciprocal agreement to honour each other’s gradings, and require all judges to have association accreditation.

ANAPBA has also been negatively criticized for using association members’ money on expensive summit meetings in distant locations.

ANAPBA infrequently communicates about its activities and generally leaves it to member associations to report on the activities of the collective. The ANAPBA website only recently came back online.

“Presumably, the association reps are reporting this business to their associations,” a source added. “The ANAPBA stuff prompted discussions in at least two associations that I know of along the lines of, ‘What does ANAPBA actually do?’ And, ‘Why are we spending money on this?'”

ANAPBA comprises representatives from the nine active piping and drumming associations in North America, the president and music board/committee chair of each attending meetings.

There are nine ANAPBA members: the Alberta Society of Pipers & Drummers, the Atlantic Canada Pipe Band Association, the British Columbia Pipers Association, the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, the Midwest Pipe Band Association, the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario, the Prairie Pipe Band Association of Manitoba, the Saskatchewan Pipe Band Association, and the Western United States Pipe Band Association.

Mann founded ANAPBA and has been its Chair/CEO ever since. EUSPBA President Bill Caudill is ANAPBA’s president and reportedly requested the first meeting on the RSPBA’s grading practices.

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