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The Pipe Major is the director of bagpipe music in a Scottish
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 or Irish
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 pipe band
Pipe band

A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of Bagpipes and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
. Like Drum Major
Drum Major

A Sergeant Major of the Drums or drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band. The Drum Major is usually positioned at the head of the Band or Corps and is the figure who stands out in the public eye....
, the position of Pipe Major is derived from British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
 traditions. As in the case of Drum Major, the Pipe Major is a position in any Scottish regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
.

Whether it is a civilian or military pipe band, the Pipe Major is generally responsible for the following:



ons holding the Pipe Major title can still be found in many civilian and military pipe bands in many countries nowadays.






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The Pipe Major is the director of bagpipe music in a Scottish
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 or Irish
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 pipe band
Pipe band

A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of Bagpipes and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
. Like Drum Major
Drum Major

A Sergeant Major of the Drums or drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band. The Drum Major is usually positioned at the head of the Band or Corps and is the figure who stands out in the public eye....
, the position of Pipe Major is derived from British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
 traditions. As in the case of Drum Major, the Pipe Major is a position in any Scottish regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
.

Whether it is a civilian or military pipe band, the Pipe Major is generally responsible for the following:

  • Band administrative work
  • Selection, compilation and arrangement of tunes for the band's repertoire
  • Acting as a musical director and leading band rehearsals
  • Co-ordination of the band's performance schedule
  • Conducting and arranging for solo performance at weddings, funerals, dinners, etc.
  • Training learning and beginning pipers


British Army

Persons holding the Pipe Major title can still be found in many civilian and military pipe bands in many countries nowadays. Apart from being an outstanding musician, a Pipe Major should by tradition be an educated person who is well-versed in the history of bagpipe music as well as the history of his/her clan/regiment. The Pipe Major of a pipe band is usually assisted by a Pipe Sergeant
Pipe Sergeant

The Pipe Sergeant, commonly abbreviated as "P/Sgt", is the number two person in charge of the pipers in a Scottish pipe band or pipes and drums....
.

A Pipe Major position is an appointment
Appointment

Appointment may refer to a number of things, including the following:*An appointment is a time reserved for something such as a Physician visit, much like a reservation....
 and not a military rank
Military rank

Military rank is a system of hierarchy relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms....
. As such, he is required to attain a senior non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer , also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted rank member of an armed force who has been given authority by a officer ....
 rank (Sergeant
Sergeant

Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
, Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant

Staff Sergeant is a Military rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company....
 or Colour Sergeant
Colour Sergeant

File:Face to face.jpgColour Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer rank in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above Sergeant and below Warrant Officer Class 2....
, or Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer

A Warrant Officer is a member of a military organisation holding one of a specific group of military rank.The rank was first used in the English Royal Navy and is today used in many other countries, essentially the Commonwealth and USA....
) and have successfully completed the Pipe Major's Course at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming
Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming

The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming is a British Army training establishment that provides instructions of Scotland bagpipe music to military pipers, drummers and pipe bands....
 before he would be appointed the regiment's Pipe Major. Since the pipes and drums of an infantry regiment are normally required to take on a secondary role as a machine gun
Machine gun

A machine gun is a Automatic firearm mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire List of rifle cartridgess in quick succession from an Belt or large-capacity Magazine , typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
 platoon
Platoon

A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four Section or squads and containing about 30 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organised into a company , which typically consists of three, four or five platoons....
, the Pipe Major is responsible for the following additional tasks:

  • Be the platoon's operational commander or second-in-charge during military exercise
    Military exercise

    A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of War or testing strategies without actual combat....
    s or war
  • Ensure military discipline among members of the pipes & drums
  • Be a transmitter of regimental history and customs


The Pipe Major is always referred to and addressed as "Pipe Major" and not by his rank. The insignia of appointment is 4 point-up chevrons worn on the lower sleeve, usually surmounted by a bagpipes
Bagpipes

Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones using enclosed reed fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes have historically been found throughout Europe, and into Northern Africa, the Persian...
 badge and frequently by a crown or other badge dependent on rank and regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
.

Canadian Forces

"Pipe Major" in the Canadian military is also an appointment not a rank. The actual appointing procedures vary widely from unit to unit. Generally a reserve pipe major is appointed at the discretion of the reserve unit CO. Regular Force Pipe majors are appointed by CF Music (Directorate of History and Heritage - 7) on the recommendation of the CF Senior Pipe Major. The Pipe Major's insignia (a 4-bar chevron with bagpipe badge) is usually surmounted with the appropriate rank badge.

Many Pipe Majors in the Canadian Forces are in Reserve unit volunteer strength pipe bands. Many band members, as well as the pipe majors themselves, in these volunteer strength bands are civilian volunteers due to the decision in the 1990s to cut funding to the majority of military pipe bands in favour of the volunteer system. However, with Canadian Forces Restructuring, this may change.

Current Pipe Majors of the Canadian military include:Regular Force
Regular Force

In the Canadian Forces, a Regular Force unit or person is part of the full-time military, as opposed to being part of the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve....
  • Air Command Pipes and Drums (CFB Uplands): Pipe Major Sgt Katie Buckland
  • CFB Borden Pipes & Drums (CFB Borden): Pipe Major MWO Jim MacIntrye,CD
  • 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Pipes and Drums: (CFB Petawawa): Pipe Major WO Colin Clansey
  • 12 Wing Pipes & Drums (CFB Shearwater): Pipe Major Cpl Malcolm Odell
  • 8 Wing Pipes & Drums (CFB Trenton): Pipe Major WO Seann Alderman CD
  • 3 Area Support Group Pipes & Drums (CFB Gagetown) : Pipe Major Sgt Chris Yeo CD
  • 14 Wing Pipes & Drums (CFB Greenwood): Pipe Major Sgt Scott Pollon
  • Royal Military Collage Pipes & Drums (Kingston, ON): Pipe Major WO Dan Smith CD
  • 4 Wing Pipes and Drums (CFB Cold Lake): TBA


Reserve Force
Canadian Forces Primary Reserve

The Primary Reserve is a reserve force of the Canadian Forces. It is the largest of four components to the CF reserves; those being the Primary Reserve, the Canadian Forces Supplementary Reserve, the Canadian Rangers, and the Cadet Instructors Cadre....
  • The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's): Pipe Major CWO Tom Lee, CD
  • Pipe Major WO Cameron Stevens, CD
  • The 48th Highlanders of Canada
    48th Highlanders of Canada

    The 48th Highlanders of Canada is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve infantry regiment based in Toronto, parading out of Moss Park Armoury. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group....
    : Pipe Major MWO Iain Lang, CD
  • The Calgary Highlanders
    The Calgary Highlanders

    The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Forces Canadian Forces Land Force Command Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada....
    : Pipe Major Mike Giles (civilian)
  • The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa
    The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa

    The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces....
    : Pipe Major MWO Alan Clark, CD
  • The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's): Pipe Major MWO Roger McGuire, CD
  • The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment:Pipe Major Tom Fox (civilian)
  • The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) : Pipe Major Kevin Cranley (civilian)
  • The North Saskatchewan Regiment: Pipe Major CWO Donald MacDonald
  • The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada: Pipe Major J.H. Dawson, CD
  • The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada: Pipe Major CWO Mike Bain, CD
  • The Toronto Scottish Regiment: Pipe Major Doug Swann (civilian)
  • The Nova Scotia Highlanders: Pipe Major Sgt Karen MacLean, CD