Grade 1

"The Grade One"

The City of Chicago Pipe Band is characterized by its drive and determination to succeed to its fullest potential.  Founded in 2003, the group has been focused on personal and collective musical improvement ever since.  Hard work, dedication to musicality, and constant attention to detail have allowed the organization to progress from the bottom of Grade III to the premier competitive grade in eight short years.  The band's commitment to creativity and innate desire for improvement are key features of the band, its members, and the City of Chicago organization as a whole.      

Members of the band come from all walks of life: high school, college, and graduate students, engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, nurses, and doctors; all of these and more can be found within the band.  Ages range from mid-teens to late-fifties; members come from Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, and Kansas.  Some have played their instruments for years, others for decades.  Some members still compete in solo contests, others do not.  Some musicians have competed in the Grade One arena before, while others have never experienced this feat.  Nevertheless, all of these diverse members are united by a common passion--piping and drumming--and a dedication to the City of Chicago Pipe Band.  

 

The City of Chicago Pipe Band prides itself on a hard work ethic.  Like any group of professional musicians, hours of practice--both at home as individuals and as a unit at rehearsals--are invested to allow every member of the band to improve to their fullest individual potential.  At the end of the day, our goal is to be the best band we can be.  We believe that improvement can only come through realistic, humble judgments of our playing, the recognition of flaws within that playing, and the attempt to resolve those issues through hard work and practice. This constant desire to improve is the basis of any development within the band.  Additionally, members log hundreds of thousands of miles annually traveling to and from band rehearsals in Chicago, Illinois.  The ultimate goal of this dedication and work ethic is competitive success at the highest level.