Western Australia Police Pipe Band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Established | 1902
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| Location | Perth, Western Australia
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| Grade | 1
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| Pipe Major | Alisdair McLaren
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| D. Sergeant | Emlyn Brown
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| Tartan | Napier
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| Notable Honours | 11th place, World Pipe Band Championships: 2004
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| Website | www.wapol.com.au |
The Western Australia Police Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band based in Perth, Australia.
The band's Pipe Major is Alisdair McLaren lead drummer is Emlyn Brown.
[edit] History
With roots as far back as 1902, the original Western Australia Police Band played brass instruments. While the brass band performed well in competitions, post world war one difficulties in keeping a full complement of members resulted in its disbanding in 1925.
Some forty years later, in 1966, then police commissioner Napier agreed to the formation of the a pipe band to represent the Western Australia police. Accordingly, the band was equipped with the Napier tartan and continued the traditions set out by the brass band; performing at police and public functions, while maintaining a strong level of competitiveness at contests.
After numerous years of relatively successful Australian competition in grade two, and trips to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the band decided to enter in the World Pipe Band Championships in 1998. After a short season in Scottland, on August 15, 1998 it was crowned world champion in grade two, beating 32 other bands.
Then promoted to grade one, where it remains to this day, the next major competition for WAPOL was the USA open Pipe Band Championships, held in Alma, Michigan, where it claimed first place. Lifted by the result, the band went through a year of fundraising and again travelled to Scotland to compete in the world championships in 2003. While preparation competitions yielded promising results; a 2nd in North Berwick and 3rd Perth, Scotland, the band was unfortunately eliminated in qualifying, with a 6th place in Glasgow.
Not to be discouraged, WAPOL returned in 2004 progressing easily through the qualifying rounds to eventually claim 11th place in the world championships. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in May, 2006, the band planned to venture overseas once more, but due to lack of funding the trip did not take place.
