The City of Chicago Pipe Band was founded in 2003 as a competition band. The group aims to bring the band to the highest international level of competition. To reach this goal, members are always engaged in personal improvement via solo competition and individual lessons. COCPB has improved rapidly with help from one of the finest teaching staffs ever assembled in Chicago. The achievements of this young group are a testament to the fundamental idea here: excellent instruction leads to success. In addition to competing, the band devotes much of their time to instructing Chicago area youth. Since its inception, the band has been firmly committed to offering free bagpiping and drumming lessons to anyone aged eight to eighteen. The competitive pipe band experience is an ideal extra-curricular outlet for today's youth as it carries the benefits of learning music as well as those of friendly competitive involvement.